Of Bending Lost and Bending Gained
by mgirl20
Summary: Ready for Book 2? Then come hear the tale Of Bending Lost and Bending Gained. Korra and her friends return to Republic City to rebuild what has been destroyed, but when a mysterious threat resurfaces, they find their world turned upside down. Danger lurks and nothing is what it seems as Korra struggles to protect those she loves while fulfilling her destiny as the Avatar. Makorra.
1. Chapter 1

**Authors Note:**

**Welcome to "Of Bending Lost and Bending Gained!" There are now several chapters up. I hope you will enjoy this story and take the time to share your opinions. I don't own the Legend of Korra. Now, forge on dear readers!  
**

Korra drew a deep breath, centering her energy before breaking into a complicated series of airbending forms. Powerful gusts of wind swirled around her in mini tornados as she spun, kicked, and punched her way across the training grounds, bending at an imaginary opponent.

"Good!" Tenzin called from the side lines.

"Stay focused, commit to each move before you make it!"

Korra threw a wide kick, twisting to land on her opposite leg. As her foot came down she continued to turn, over rotating directly into the wall of air she had just bent. The wind hit her like a fist to the gut, and with a loud exhale she fell backwards, landing face up staring at the cloudless blue sky.

Tenzin sighed, bringing his hand up to rub his temples. This was the eighth time Korra had attempted the routine and she kept tripping up in the same spot.

"Agghh!" Korra cried, leaping back to her feet and blasting a powerful ball of fire in front of her.

Tenzin said a silent thanks that there were no two thousand year old artifacts nearby.

Korra stood panting in the center of the training grounds, her hands resting on her knees. Tenzin approached her warily, ready to deflect any unexpected elements.

He placed a hand on his student's shoulder, hoping to calm her. Korra turned to look up at him, exhaustion plain on her face. Her ponytails were disheveled and the back of her tunic was littered with strands of grass and dirt.

"Why can't I get this, Tenzin? I'm a terrible airbender!" She cried, throwing her hands up in frustration.

"First I couldn't bend air at all and now that I've worked through my block I am the worst airbender in history! I'm a hopeless cause." She moaned

Tenzin sighed. "That's not true, Korra. You've made monumental progress since you got your bending back. And Avatar Aang had a just as much trouble with earthbending as you are with air. Every Avatar has their own set of challenges. You shouldn't expect so much of yourself."

"I just want to be able to _get_ this, finally." Korra said, slamming her fist into her hand.

"You will." Tenzin said firmly. "You just need to be patient with yourself."

"Yea yea. I know…_Patience_." Korra said bitterly. She sighed and looked up, cupping a hand to shield her eyes as she peered at the sun.

"It's about time, isn't?"

Tenzin nodded.

With a disgruntled wave of her hand Korra headed off in the direction of the girl's dormitory.

"I'm going to go change to go into the city."

"Alright." Tenzin called, walking towards the house to meet a smiling Pema. "We'll take Oogi. Be at the dock in fifteen minutes."

"Okay." Korra agreed absently. Her thoughts were already focused on the task to come.

* * *

Mako hurried down the sidewalks of Republic City towards the town hall. The streets were far busier today than they had been since Amon fell almost two weeks ago. For that period of time the city had been in a state of subdued activity. Benders and non-benders alike didn't leave their houses unless necessary. No one was sure which areas were safe or which group was in power. The Equalists had suffered a heavy blow when their leader was revealed as a water bender, but it did not squash their rebellion like Korra and Mako had hoped. Many of the Equalists continued to wreak havoc in the days that followed, vying for control over the city they had so recently possessed. Chief Beifong resumed her old post and directed a quick resection of the city, regaining control and restoring some semblance of normality to the lives of the citizens.

Just as quickly as this had been accomplished they all boarded a ship to the North Pole. Mako was so incredibly grateful that Korra had gotten her bending back. Seeing her for even the brief amount of time that she had been without it had been gut wrenchingly painful.

Mako was apprehensive about the day ahead. Korra had only been back in Republic City for four days, and this was the first time that she was going to attempt to restore the bending of citizens who had been equalized by Amon. It had taken a lot of convincing from Mako and Tenzin to get Korra to wait as long as she had. The painful loss of her own bending fresh in her mind, she had wanted to set about restoring the bending of the citizens immediately. This four day truce had been won only once they sold her on the idea that this event needed to be organized. They had no idea how many people's bending Amon had taken, and they couldn't just announce to the city that the Avatar would be standing around waiting to restore bending to citizens. It could result in a riot.

In the end they had decided to disperse things by zones. One particular section of the city would be done by day, and any person who lived in the selected zone could gather in front of the City hall to have their bending restored.

Mako tugged nervously at his black gloves. He was only a few blocks from his destination now. He was supposed to meet Korra and Tenzin behind the town hall before they began.

Clusters of police officers were stationed at each street corner, and Mako began to encounter more and more people with each block.

His stomach started to churn sickeningly. The point of sectioning the bending restoration was so that Korra wouldn't have to unlock too many people's bending in one day. Accessing the Avatar State couldn't be easy. And to be honest, Mako had little faith in his girlfriend's assessment of when she had worn herself out. A great capacity for selflessness was one of the things he admired about Korra, but it was also one of her most frightening qualities. Growing up on the streets with Bolin had given Mako a heightened instinct to protect those he loved- and he loved Korra. Those words still tasted sweet on his lips. He had only admitted it to himself for the first time a few days ago. He loved her; and now it was all he could do to keep himself from watching Korra like a hawk every second of every day. Mako was uncomfortable with the plan they had created. He had insisted on being present as she worked to restore people's bending. If Korra couldn't tell herself when to stop, Mako planned to be there to do it for her.

As he rounded the last corner Mako took in a sharp breath. The square was flooded with hundreds of people. It was a slurry of colors and noise; a disorderly crowd, desperate to regain their bending.

**Alright, there was all our exposition. We won't have to crawl through another chunk of information like that for the rest of the story. And if you've made it this far, you might as well check out chapter two.**

** Reviews are wonderful. **

**-Mgirl**


	2. Chapter 2

Here is chapter two guys! Thanks for all the great reviews, and please check the authors note at the end. Also, yea, I still don't own Legend of Korra.

**Chapter 2: Show Me A Hero-I'll Write You A Tragedy**

Korra fidgeted, shifting her weight from foot to foot. The sounds of hundreds of people rang from the nearby square, a tempest of both hope and distrust mingling in their voices. Nearby Tenzin and Chief Beifong exchanged worried words, and the wind whipped small pieces of the conversation in to Korra's ears.

"There's too many, we need to cancel."

"Are you crazy? We can't do that! These people will start a riot." Beifong snarled.

"….Should have thought of this before…"

"Too dangerous."

Korra stopped straining to make out their voices. She had heard it all before, every night as Mako and Tenzin and tried to convince her that she needed to wait.

Well, she was done with that now. She was here, and she wanted to help these people.

Korra suppressed a shiver as she remembered the week she had spent without her own bending: the frightening sense of emptiness, the total disconnection from the elements. It was the most horrible thing she had ever experienced, and the longer she waited to help the people Amon had stripped of their bending, the less she would think of herself. She was the avatar; she wasn't supposed to stand around making plans while people needed her. She would act.

Just then Korra felt a pair of hands snake their way around her waist. She gasped in surprise, jumping a little before she realized she recognized those hands. They were gentle and warm, far warmer than hands should be; the hands of a fire bender.

"Mako." She breathed a soft sigh of relief, turning in his arms to peer up into the boy's face.

Frown lines traveled up his forehead like train tracks as he peered over the newly erected stage. It shielded them from view, but if he stood tall enough Mako could just make out the forms of the people jumbled in the square. Korra tugged his shirt lightly, and the teenager brought his gaze back to her.

"Hey. It's going to be fine." She said, turning the corners of her mouth up into a small smile.

"Trust me."

Mako wrapped his arms more tightly around her, pressing their bodies together until the space between them closed. _Trust me. _Of course he trusted Korra. She was one of the only things he trusted, but that wouldn't keep her from getting hurt.

Mako leaned in, his breath tickling Korra's ear. "I trust you." He breathed.

"Ahhem." Tenzin cleared his throat beside them.

Korra tried to spring away from her boyfriend, but Mako held onto her stubbornly, adjusting their bodies so that he kept his arm around her shoulders.

"Korra, if you're determined to do this, we should start now." Tenzin didn't wait for Korra's response, one look at the hardened glint in the girl's eyes told him everything.

With a last wistful glance at Mako's face, Korra pulled away and walked swiftly to the steps leading to the stage. She took a deep breath and began the ascent, alone.

Korra tapped the microphone tentatively, cringing when it emitted a shrill whine.

"Um, hi." Silence swallowed the square, and the pressure of it made her breath catch. Hundreds of faces all turned up at her expectantly, and suddenly Korra felt like a small child.

_What if the people come up here and I can't help them?_

She hadn't energy bent since the North Pole. What if it was a one-time thing? She would look like a fool. Even worse, she would look incompetent.

What had she said to Mako? _Trust me._ That was it, she needed trust. This would work. Like so many other things in her life, it had to.

"Citizens of Republic City, I am here to help you. Umm, if you could all just form a line, and come up one at a time, we can begin." The courtyard filled with noise as people fought for a place closest to the front of the line. Beifong's officers did their best to assist, guiding the people into place.

Before the line had even been fully formed, a man dressed in the deep greens of an earth bender made his way up to the stage, hope brimming in his eyes.

Korra prayed she could deliver.

**Three hours Later…**

Mako watched as Korra's eyes glowed that frightening shade of white blue for what felt like the thousandth time. The line was growing gradually smaller, but still it snaked its way around the square. Each time Mako thought they might have reached the halfway point more people rounded the corner. He wouldn't voice his thoughts, but he suspected that many of them were not from the district allowed to come today.

He continued to watch Korra critically, checking for signs that she should stop. Though sweat beaded on her brow, the girl had refused to take a break since she had begun.

Tenzin hadn't pressed her each time she refused, and Mako had simply balled his fists and stood to the side. He was fighting hard not to be over protective.

Up on the stage Korra wobbled slightly, her eyes drifting out of focus for a moment before she regained her footing.

The young woman she had just helped stood slowly, a small flame held aloft in her palm. Tears spilled down her cheeks.

"T-t-thank you. Thank you so much, Avatar."

Korra smile graciously, inclining her head at the young woman. She hadn't been prepared for how emotional the citizens would be about regaining their bending. For once Korra felt like she was doing something right as the avatar. She had failed these people when she had been unable to protect them from Amon, but she was finally getting a chance to make amends for that. Her insides surged with joy as each person left the stage, their bending restored.

Korra still had a silly, happy grin plastered on her face when an explosion boomed through the square, filling the air with smoke, screams, and the blistering scent of charred flesh.

**Yay suspense! Okay, so I know I left you all at a horrible cliff hanger, but this story is about to get really exciting. So, I am going to channel my best horror movie persona and say, "Let's play a game…" (cryptic right?). Ten reviews gets us to the next chapter. Feel free to make suggestions, ask questions, or do anything in between. Thank you all for reading. You're the best!**

**-Mgirl**


	3. Chapter 3

Hello dear readers! Thank you so much for all of the wonderful reviews. Keep 'em coming! They really help me along with the story. Again, please read the author's note at the end.

Disclaimer: Count the number of times Amon sings in Avatar. Yea, that's how much I own Legend of Korra.

**Ch. 3: I Hang Suspended**

The square shook with an unbearable rumbling. Blood pounded in Korra's head, or maybe out of her head. It was impossible to tell. The blast had knocked her backwards and off the side of the stage to the unforgiving cobblestone below. Acrid smoke filled the air, clouding her eyes and burning her lungs.

_Breathe. Breathe!_ She commanded her body. The impact of the fall had knocked the wind out of her. With a shattering, ragged intake she forced the oxygen back into her body, crawling on hands and knees around the corner of the stage.

People screamed, flinging elements and tripping over mangled, bloodied bodies. Electricity fizzled in the air.

Korra struggled shakily to her feet, swinging her aching head about frantically, searching for any sign of Mako or Tenzin. A green clad man rushed forward from the crowd, clutching something to him as he barreled in to her. Korra stumbled back, alarmed by the sound of the man's agonized cries. He lay curled on the ground where he had fallen, trembling as he held the bloody stump of an arm to his chest.

A tight ball of pain rolled in Korra's head, and with a sick twist of her gut, she leaned forward and emptied the contents of her stomach onto the ground.

Korra moaned, but straightened. Her thoughts were strangely jumbled, drifting through the corners of her mind, but never truly coming into focus.

_I need to help him._

Korra stumbled her way towards the man on the ground. She crouched over the prone, oddly still form. Blood flowed from a cut on his cheek, staining his grey beard a rusty color. His eyes were glassy and blank. Korra placed shaking fingers over his lips. No air passed between them.

_Dead._

She struggled to her feet. Three dark robed figures advanced through the smoke, wearing wetted strips of cloth across their mouths to protect from the smoke.

_They caused this._

Anger surged through Korra, she charged the people, unleashing thick blasts of fire. They reacted quickly.

"The avatar!"

Two of the attackers drew swords, the third dodged her attacks, attempting to draw her fire as the other two advanced.

Korra switched to earth bending, bringing the ground beneath the two swordsmen rolling backwards. The square began trembling dangerously again as the council building shook in response to the earth's movement. Things began to fall in to place. The square had been bombed, the foundations of the council building had probably been damaged.

Fury boiled beneath her skin. She had been trying to help these people, and instead she had led them straight into a trap.

"You. Will. Pay!" Korra screamed at her attackers, punctuating each word with a powerful burst of air. It did nothing to slow them. They deftly avoided each surge of wind, creeping ever closer.

Korra threw a wide kick at one of the more agile swordsmen, but her movements were slow, and with a twist of his arm he launched a strike, slicing her side.

She gasped, panting at the sudden ripple of pain through her body. Her legs moved like they were made of lead, and her bending had never been this weak.

_What is wrong with me? _

The other swordsmen and the third dark clad figure surged forward together. One of the men struck at her upper body, chi blocking so that her left arm hung limp and useless. Korra sent a blast of fire into the face of the other and they pulled back quickly, the flames singing their face masks. Korra tripped backwards, attempting to retreat into crowd of screaming people and smoke. Instead she found herself fumbling across the ground and over the forms of the many dead or injured benders.

Her attackers followed. With a shuddering breath Korra rose from the carnage, preparing to make a final stand. Through blurring vision she peered ahead, the three attackers had now been joined by several others. Seven people ran towards her through the pandemonium. Calling up the last reserves of her strength Korra summoned a powerful gust of air, blowing the men into the wall. Bodies crunched as they collided with unyielding stone.

Korra slid to the ground, her mind too fuzzy now to even comprehend what she should do. It felt as if someone had dropped a thick wool blanket over her face. Breathing was hard, thinking was hard, moving, was out of the question. She sat, slumped forward on the ground.

For the second time that day Korra felt a warm arm grasp her waist, this time hoisting her back to her feet.

"Korra!"

"M-Mako?"

"Come on Korra we have to go. You have to run."

Mako threw a desperate glance at the uniformed men closing in quickly. The square was flooded with them, and the longer they stayed here the more dangerous it became. Mako had barely been able to fight his way over to Korra in time, and he had not made it unscathed.

Panic rose in his chest as he took in Korra's condition. Her eyes looked unfocused, and a steady stream of blood seeped from a gash on her head. She was exhausted.

They couldn't fight their way out of this. They needed to escape.

Mako took Korra's hand firmly in his own and began weaving a path through the frantic crowd. Every few seconds he would have to yank the two of them out of the way as an attack flew through the air. He passed broken, screaming people, many of them calling for help. But he couldn't help them, not now. He had to get her out of here.

Korra fumbled along after Mako as if in a dream. A nightmare, someone else's and not her own. Except, maybe it was. Blood pounded in her ears. She couldn't hear the people's screams anymore; their voices mimed the sounds in silence. All she heard was the crescendo of her own heartbeat, thumping to an unsteady rhythm.

_You did this. _

_It's your fault._

_You did this._

The square shook in final desperation, and with a loud crash and a squelch of dust, the council building collapsed.

The impact threw Mako and Korra to the ground. He clasped the broken girl against his chest. Protecting her head from the ground and covering her body with his own.

Rock slammed into his back, reducing his shirt to tatters.

Mako groaned.

When the shaking stopped he pulled both of them back to their feet. Korra felt dizzy, and pulled away from his hand, trying to sit back down. She was just so tired.

_I'll rest here, just for a second._

Mako kept her on her feet, taking her face between his hands and tilting her chin so that she looked him in the eye.

"Please, Korra" he begged.

"You just have to go a little further. Okay? You can do this."

Korra couldn't quite make out the boy's words, except to say that he looked upset, scared even. But this was Mako. He didn't get scared for himself. He must be scared for her, she realized.

She frowned. The beautiful boy shouldn't be scared; she wanted him to be happy.

She placed her fingertips against his mouth, silencing him. He stared down at her in confusion. She would do what he wanted. Mako shouldn't have to look like that.

Korra forced her legs forward, though they felt like tree trunks rooted to the ground.

_Run._ She commanded her body. _Run, because Mako needs you to._

The two teenagers struggled their way out of the square at last, entering into the chaos of the street.

More of Beifong's officers approached the scene, hurrying forward with medics and weaponry to subdue the riot.

They ignored Mako and Korra, focused on reaching the square.

Mako craned his neck above the fleeing citizenry. A couple blocks away he spotted a reinforced police line. They needed to get over there.

Korra moved sluggishly, but they made steady progress.

"Just a little farther, Korra. We're almost there." Mako urged.

"Okay." She whispered dimly.

Korra held on just long enough to spot the police line and a panicked Tenzin rushing towards them from behind an officer's vehicle.

She wanted to tell him not to look so upset. Everyone would be fine. Why did they all look so upset?

She struggled against Mako's chest, peering up at his face. He still looked scared.

_Silly boy_. This was supposed to make him happy. She pulled her lips into a pout, clutching at his shirt, ready to tell him off for being so hard to please. But before she could open her mouth, everything rolled into blackness. The world swept softly into the dark.

**Woohoo for chapter three! You guys are getting spoiled. Two chapters in two days?! It's madness I tell you. Everyone should thank my little sister for the quick updates. She immediately calls me after I post each chapter demanding to know what happens next. In her words, "There ought to be SOME advantage to knowing the author!" **

**You guys were wonderful with all the reviews. Give yourselves a big hand! I am really interested to hear what everyone thinks of this chapter. Are we all good with this new development? Would you like me to make it a little less graphic in the future? I tried not to go tooo gory, but it's war. Sugar coating it just makes the story seem unrealistic. **

**Reviews make me update faster. :) Again, thank you all for being such wonderful readers. HAPPY SUNDAY! **


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello wonderful readers! Sorry for the delay in this chapter. Midterms week happened in college and I had to fumble my way through trying not to drown in the piles of test papers and essays. But now it's Spring Break! Woohoo! I know, you're all sitting there like, blah blah, what do we care? Well, let me tell you...this means that I have free time, and thus, can now be bribed into super fast chapter writing. "Oh splendid!" you cry. "How can we bribe you?!" Well with reviews of course! I know, I know, I'm evil. Whatevs. Hope you enjoy! Also, yep, I have not miraculously gained ownership of LOK. Better luck next week...**

Chapter 4: Beneath A Dirty Sky

Mako POV:

Mako's stomach rolled, twisting into knots as he looked down at the unconscious girl in his arms. He pulled her tighter against his chest; she felt light, as if she were nothing and might float out of his embrace. Tenzin's shake of his shoulder and another deafening explosion from the square a short distance away brought him back to reality.

"We need to get her out of here." Tenzin shouted into his ear, pulling the teen forward.

Mako nodded, moving swiftly around to the opened back of a police van. His legs shook as he clambered inside, lowering Korra to the ground so that her head was cradled in his lap. The adrenaline was beginning to wear thin, and fatigue washed over Mako like a heavy rain. He slumped back against the wall of the van. Tenzin slammed the doors and the small space retreated into darkness. Mako listened to the sounds of muffled shouting near the cab and then the vehicle jolted forward. He held Korra tightly as the van sped through the streets of Republic city, doing his best to keep her head steady in his lap. The gash on her forehead had finally stopped bleeding he noted with relief.

Fuzziness began to tingle in Mako's brain as he fought against another wave of exhaustion. With his cheek pressed against the tangled waves of Korra's hair the firebender drifted into a restless sleep; a sleep of explosions and loved ones not reached in time.

Korra POV:

Korra kept her eyes clenched tightly shut as she slipped back into consciousness. Her head pounded viciously, each pump of her heart sending a white hot slash of pain against her skull. A hiss of pain escaped her lips. Had she been drinking cactus juice last night?

Murky memories began to surface, explosions, bloody bodies, Equalists….

Korra opened her eyes with a gasp, jolting up in bed. A wave of pain and vertigo hit her. She stilled for a moment, forcing slow breaths past gritted teeth as she waited for the feeling to pass. She opened one eye again hesitantly, lifting a hand to press lightly against her head. Thick bandaging met her cold fingers.

The room was unfamiliar, she realized. A packed dirt floor folded up into stone walls. In the corners small sconces flickered, casting everything into dim, wavering light. Korra opened both eyes now, staring more critically at her surroundings. The room was sparsely furnished. She lay on a small bed in the corner, and just to her left a wooden dresser and cabinet took up the remaining space.

_Where am I?_

Korra slid out from beneath the blankets of her bed. She placed her feet on the floor, testing each leg gingerly before trusting it to support her weight.

"Mako? Tenzin?" she called thickly. Her throat burned like she had been inhaling smoke.

The door to her right shook under soft rapping.

"Avatar Korra?" A well groomed petite woman stuck her head into the room. "May I come in?" The woman didn't wait for an answer, and she stepped gracefully out from behind the door.

She was dressed in a sturdy tunic of green and her shiny dark hair had been pulled into a long braid running down her back. She smiled.

"My name is Panna." She said, bowing slightly. "You must have a lot of questions, but I brought you some clean clothes and if you would like to wash up there is a small bathing room just down the hall."

_Damn right I have a lot of questions! _Korra thought. As for the bath, she was slightly insulted.

Korra opened her mouth to reject the woman's offer but then thought better of it, glancing down at her tattered garments and the remnants of dried blood still caked on her skin. Maybe she could stand to clean up…And the woman didn't seem threatening, but…

Panna seemed to sense her thoughts.

"You are in a secret bunker designed by the late earth bender, Toph. And all of your questions can be answered when you go meet your friends in the dining hall." She said with another kind smile.

"My friends are here? Is…Mako, is he here?"

Panna nodded. He was actually with you most of the time you were asleep. He left about half an hour ago to be treated in the medical wing."

Korra's eye's widened in worry. Panna interjected quickly. "Oh, no he's fine, just some superficial scratches and burns. The healers will have him fixed up easily enough."

Korra gave a curt nod of relief and instantly regretted it. She winced painfully as her head began to throb again.

"So I can clean up and then go meet everyone?"

"Yes. That is what we would recommend." Panna said kindly.

"Okay." Korra said, motioning for Panna to lead her to the bathing room. She wondered absently who the "we" the young woman referred to was. She had so many questions, but maybe Panna was right. She could clean up and figure it out later. This seemed like a safe enough place. Still, the absence of people she knew unnerved her. In the back of her mind Korra decided to catalogue everything she saw, just in case she needed to make an escape. She glanced at Panna again. The woman was slight but looked quick, and she was unarmed. Even with her head injury, Korra would easily be able to beat her in a fight.

Panna led them out of the sparse room and into a narrow walkway with a metal railing. Korra ambled up and looked over the side, gasping in surprise at what she saw. They were on the upper level of a spiraling walkway, leading up from a dirt floored chasm. Rooms and interlaced tunnels led out of the pit, and Korra could hear the faint sound of rushing water from somewhere below. The bunker was entirely lit by torches, which cast the brown and green colors of the hall into warm relief.

"This is amazing." Korra whispered.

She jumped in surprise when Panna laughed just ahead of her. She had almost forgotten her guide.

"Of course it is. Toph built it." She said reverently.

Korra wondered if Panna was also an earthbender.

"Come on. The wash room is just over here."

Panna left her in another fire lit room, this one warm, with a large basin of heated water at its center. Korra eased into the water slowly, sighing as it rolled over her dirty skin and aching muscles. She allowed herself to float there for a few minutes, letting her native element rejuvenate her and even taking the energy to heal a few of her nastier scrapes. She ran a hand through her matted tresses. She needed to wash her hair. Gingerly she undid the bandages covering her head, running a hand over the puckered skin on her brow. She could feel a deep cut, but the wound seemed to be closed. The injury burned as she submerged her head, but the pain was manageable.

Fifteen minutes later Korra forced herself to leave the water, drying with a towel Panna had left and shrugging into a pair of brown pants and a green tunic folded neatly on a table in the corner of the room. She found that the woman had even supplied a small hair comb that Korra ran through her tangles until they shone sleek and glossy. Her pony tail holders were gone, so she settled for leaving her hair loose. She should probably cut it soon she mused. Her hair now hung past her shoulders and almost halfway down her back.

Korra rolled her shoulders and made her way back down the hall. She really did feel much better after her bath. Now she just needed to find Mako and whoever else might be trapped in this bunker.

The hallway and her room were empty, but she could see some people moving around on the lower levels of the chasm. Korra puzzled over the several tunnels leading out of her hall. Finally she selected the one that seemed to slope downward and followed it, hoping she wouldn't get lost in some indecipherable maze and never be able to find her way out. She strode carefully through the pathway, but quickly found that the floor was even and brightly lit.

The tunnel made several twists and turns before depositing Korra in a secluded corner bound by a rock wall. Another hallway stretched off to her left, and she moved to follow it. As she rounded the corner she smacked into something hard and unexpected. The impact knocked her unceremoniously off her feet and into the dirt.

"W-whaa" she gasped unintelligibly.

"Korra!" A blur of green shrieked, leaping forward to scoop her off the floor into a Bearlion hug.

Pressed against the boy's broad chest Korra managed to catch a glimpse of his face. Relief pooled in her limbs.

"Bolin!"

The boy responded with a hearty laugh.

"We were so worried about you." He said, instantly turning serious.

"Mako's been driving us crazy with all his anxious pacing. Come on." He said, returning her halfway to her feet but continuing to drag them both forward at an alarming rate.

"We finally managed to get Mako to eat something. Everyone's in the dining hall."

A few moments later they burst through a set of thick wooden doors into a wide chamber filled with long wooden tables. A small group of people sat clustered around one, and they glanced up in alarm at the loud entrance of the two teens.

"Korra!" a few voices cried out at once.

She focused in on only one though, catching Mako's eye and looking over him with a smile as he dashed towards her. He seemed to be unharmed.

The firebender enveloped her in a warm, gentle embrace.

"I'm so glad you're okay" he whispered into her hair.

Korra blushed, laying her head against Mako's shoulder and soaking in the heat of his body as he held her. Those were the same words he had spoken when they found her after she escaped Tarrlok. An unexpected feeling of guilt built in her chest. It was cruel to keep worrying him like this. She needed to get stronger, so that she could protect both of them; so that he wouldn't have to feel this way.

Their privacy was short lived. Tenzin, Pemma, Asami, and even Lin Beifong came forward to greet her, offering hugs, shoulder claps, and expressions of relief at her appearance. Eventually Tenzin led them all back to the table and someone procured a plate for Korra. The food was dry and plain, but the sight of it had awakened an incredible hunger. After giving her a few moments to fill herself Tenzin cleared his throat, capturing the attention of the table.

**Ahhh. Another mysterious ending. Chapter Five is written so if you want to know what happens next let me know! Thank you all for reading. :)**

**-Mgirl**


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you all for the wonderful reviews! They really help and encourage me to write faster. And here is chapter five! See, I told you I could be bribed. Enjoy! **

Chapter 5: Beware The Words Upon Your Lips

Tenzin cleared his throat loudly, waiting for the attention of the table. Korra put down her fork, her hunger fleeing only to be replaced by an uncomfortable rush of anxiety. He addressed her first, a soft frown pulling at his features.

"Korra, we're all glad you're awake and in reasonable health. But we need to remember that many of our fellow citizens were not so lucky."

Korra ducked her head, letting her hair fall forward to hide her cheeks as they flushed red with shame.

"The attack at the square was an unprecedented work of violence. The city is in a state of panic, and I don't know how many benders lie dead, but I have been assured that the numbers are not small."

Bolin let out a huff of disgust, an unnaturally cruel look of anger twisted the usually sweet boy's features.

Korra breathed in sharply, sparing a glance at Mako, who sat by her side, before taking in the expressions of the rest of the table. A look of pure malice colored their faces. Even sweet, motherly Pemma appeared angry and ready for revenge.

_This isn't right._ Korra thought. It was horrible, what the Equalists had done; but Korra couldn't shake the feeling that everyone's emotions, their hunger for retaliation, would only lead them down a darkened path. A sick wave of premonition washed over her. In the back of her mind a soft voice spoke in warning.

"_Be wary of revenge, Korra." _

"Aang?" She whispered under her breath.

No one heard her and Tenzin continued his speech.

"We will all have to stay underground for the moment, and the headquarters of our operation will be moved here, to the bunker. United forces troops are on their way and will be snuck in to join us by the Awles."

Korra turned to Mako, her brow furred in question. "The what?" She mouthed.

"They're the keepers of the bunker. Some kind of secret society Toph set up before she died." He whispered.

Korra nodded in understanding. That must be what Panna was.

"Our sources tell us that the Equalists have launched a full scale movement. Any known bender is being denied service at most shops and restaurants, and secret raids have been disappearing citizens who are, or who sympathize with benders."

Korra's head began to pound again. This was bad. _Very bad. _

The monk grimaced, a mixture of both anger and worry filling his words.

"For too long we have forgotten that the benders of our world are vastly outnumbered. It is only now, with violence in the air, that the citizens are being reminded of this.

Silence stretched between the group. Korra found herself wondering if she should say something, but for once, no words came to mind. She sat mutely.

It was Bolin who broke the ominous pause.

"So what are we going to _do_?" He asked vehemently, pounding the table with his fist so hard that it jerked beneath them.

Tenzin answered. "Nothing, until the United Forces arrive. Then we will formulate our plan. It is too risky for our group to go out alone."

Korra looked up sharply as the gaze of everyone at the table turned to her. They expected her to protest, she realized. But she wouldn't. Korra's emotions swirled inside her like a tempest. With a jolt she stood, pushing away from the table. She was filled with the urgent desire to be alone. She needed to think.

The group gaped up at her.

"I-I need to go train." She said, fleeing the room as quickly as her feet would carry her.

0000000000000000000000000000 0000000000000000000000000000 0000000000000000000000000000 0000000000000000000000000000 

Korra wandered absently through the maze of pathways in the bunker until she heard the faint sound of running water ahead. She stopped her brooding to glance at her surroundings, picking steps with more care. Abruptly she turned a corner to encounter a winding metal railing. She had made her way to the bottom of the chasm. The railing blocked a steep drop in the ground leading to a roaring river below. Korra sighed, leaning forward to rest on the railing. Even the water wasn't calm here; it rushed swiftly forward with just as much chaos as her own mind.

"We call it Lethe."

Korra gasped, instinctively bending a water whip as she turned to face the deep voice behind her.

A young man stood ten feet away, calmly facing her, chuckling even as he noticed her bending. He wore a more masculine version of the uniform she had seen on Panna that morning.

Her brow furrowed. "You're an Awle."

"Yes." The young man said, stepping forward.

"I didn't hear you." Korra said in confusion. Usually her hearing was excellent. It was quite rare for anyone to be able to sneak up on her.

The young man gave a hearty laugh, his sharp features turning upwards in a pleasant smile.

"Well no, you wouldn't. I'm an earthbender in an underground bunker. You'll find that most of us come and go as we please."

Korra nodded. That made sense. "Are there secret tunnels?" She asked.

The boy smiled mischievously. "Perhaps."

"I'm Kazuki." He said, making a slight bow. "But you may call me Kaz, as my friends do."

"Korra." She told him, not bothering to return his formality.

She turned back to the river, her glum mood returning.

Kaz approached, leaning against the railing beside her.

"The river is called Lethe?" She asked after a moment.

The young man nodded.

"That means concealment." She said, and then added dryly, "It fits."

Kaz turned to her in surprise. "How did you know that?"

She shrugged. "I was raised by the White Lotus. I worked with tutors six hours a day from the time I was four."

Kaz frowned. "That sounds lonely."

Korra merely shrugged again, offering no further words.

The pair stood in silence for a time, watching the rushing water.

"So what bites?" The boy asked suddenly.

Korra gawked at him. He was very nosy for a stranger.

"Nothing." She said coldly. She knew she was being incredibly rude to someone who was basically their host, but she was so disgusted and ashamed of herself right then. She couldn't talk about it, and perhaps her cool demeanor would encourage the young man to go away.

Kaz placed a hand lightly on her shoulder, and she glanced up sharply, really looking at him for the first time. His hair was dark and just long enough to brush his forehead. He had a warm, pleasant face and kind green eyes that were complimented by his uniform. If she had to guess, she would say he was a few years older than her.

She took a step back, brushing off his hand and letting out an exasperated sigh.

"Look. I don't know you and I don't want to talk about it."

She turned her back on the bender, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Alright, alright." He said, putting his arms up in surrender.

"Just, if you ever need someone to talk to…I'll be around."

Korra made no reply, keeping her back turned. After a few moments she turned, planning to apologize.

"Kaz, I'm sorry It's jus-"

The apology died on her lips. The boy was gone, and for the second time that day, she was alone in an empty, unfamiliar room.

Korra's eyes burned as tears threatened to escape. She slumped to the ground, leaning back against the railing and pulling her legs up to rest her chin on her knees.

Unbidden wetness slid down her cheeks. She was so ashamed of herself. Each move she made only seemed to get more people hurt…the citizens of Republic City, Mako, her friends.

Perhaps it was time that she took things into her own hands. This time, she vowed, she would keep the people she cared about safe.

This time, she would work alone.

**Alright, as always cool kids, review and I'll write more. Thank you for being amazing and taking the time to read this story. :) Stay awesome!**

**-Mgirl**


	6. Chapter 6

**A new chapter for the end of Spring Break! Hello all, school is starting up tomorrow (*cue tears). To dispel the darkness of this event, I thought I would treat everyone to a short update. You have all been such great readers. I am so honored you have taken the time to read, comment, and follow/favorite this story. Give yourselves a hug from me! **

***Do I own LOK? No. No I don't. **

Chapter 6: The Beginning and the End of Everything

Mako found her in the training room. She saw him approach through a bead a sweat pooled in the corner of her left eye. It was strangely prismatic, as if his presence existed on an alternate plane, and she had merely glimpsed the handsome boy for a moment. She existed in a diminutive bubble, completely and alarmingly alone. Left jab punch. Kick turn duck sweep. Her body moved to its own slick rhythm. Breathe out two. Breathe in two. Punch. _Hard_. The weighted bag she fought swung like a pendulum, marking the seconds that ticked by as she did _nothing_, helped_ no one_. Her breath hitched in her throat when he grabbed her shoulder.

"Korra!" He accompanied the shout with a rough shake, and she wondered if he had been calling her name before. She hadn't heard.

She stood rigidly still.

"Hey," Mako said, more softly now that he had gotten her attention. "Are you alright? That was really intense, and earlier in the dining hall…" His words trailed off, an unspoken recognition.

She stood, silent. But her eyes sought his, those beautiful blue eyes that he loved. And they were filled with pain, drenched in a silent plea that he knew he would answer even before he understood what she sought. _Don't ask me_, said the eyes. Mako wouldn't, because he knew what it was to have words you could not say aloud.

Instead he reached up to brush a piece of hair from her forehead, running his fingers along the line of puckered skin from a gash. He kissed the cut, and when he pulled away salt tingled on his lips. Her mouth found his in the space of breath, and their bodies collided like a void which can only be filled by the presence of itself. It was a desperate kiss. As his lips molded to hers Mako let his mind go numb. In that instant he forgot to worry, and focused on the beautiful girl whose soul hovered around him like an intoxicating perfume. Her hands wove their way into his hair, trailing a path of electricity down his back. He pulled her tighter, closer, until she was lifted into the air, the tips of her toes gently grazing the ground.

Korra pulled away first, and the sting of her absence made him cringe. He was lost, he realized. He was hopelessly and irrevocably bound to this girl, and he had never felt so vulnerable in his life.

"I love you." She whispered, pressing her lips to his neck so that the words came out muffled against his skin.

Mako watched as tears shimmered on her cheeks. He swore he could read what each one meant. There was the one for fear; her fear that she would not be able to save the people she loved or complete the tasks expected of her. This one was for failure, for all the citizens she believed she let down. That tear near her chin was for the world, because Korra thought maybe, just perhaps, the spirits had made a horrible mistake when they chose her to be the avatar.

Mako wiped the tears away with his thumb. He wished he could tell her that she was wrong; that he saw what she felt and knew it wasn't true. But there are some holes that you can't fill with words. So instead he held her, because the only thing he might be able to convince her of, was that she wasn't alone.

"I love you too."

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Korra wrapped her arms tightly around herself, shifting uncomfortably beneath the rough blankets. She stared hard into the darkness of her room, straining her ears for noise in the halls of the underground bunker. All was still. She said a quick prayer to the spirits for the third time that night, hoping her plan went well.

The unease she had felt in the dining hall that morning had returned. It was a sick sense of foreboding. Darkness was coming, and she would not sit and wait for it.

Korra slid out of bed and padded gently across the floor. She was on her way to a small room she had discovered after her meeting with Kaz that same afternoon. After the boy had disappeared Korra spent an hour looking for the origin of her new outfit, and in a secluded portion of the lower tiers of the bunker, she found it.

Now she needed to go rummage for some clothes, something that would hide her face; because tomorrow night, she would be going on an expedition.

**Alright! So, that was a bit shorter than usual, but it wraps up some needed character building. In the next chapters we're going to see a lot more action oriented writing so get psyched for that! Please review, you know how that just tickles me pink. :) Thanks everyone.**

**-Mgirl**


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: Ooph! I'm sleepy guys. Short note today. Reviews = More writing. I do not own LOK. **

** Enjoy!**

Chapter 7: Evasion Tactics

No matter how carefully Korra patted her hair into place each morning, by mid afternoon it always looked like she was trying to conceal a dismembered body beneath its waves. A gust of wind stirred the nimbus of fine brown hair around her head. Meelo emitted a shriek of glee as he zoomed above her on a spinning air ball. Oh no he didn't! Korra bent up a wall of earth in his path. The little boy bounced backwards on impact; straight into her waiting arms. "Gotcha!" She cried triumphantly. She tossed the squirming Milo to Bolin, who swiftly stuck him in the waiting earth prison, bending the wall shut behind him.

"Let me out demon captors!" The little boy squeaked indignantly.

Korra doubled over in giggles as she watched Milo sprint from one side of the tiny house to the next, peering out the barred windows as he watched his sisters do their best to evade Bolin.

"Come on! Break me outta here Sissies!"

Bolin sprinted after Ikki. With a whoop he leaped up to grab her foot, only to find himself caught in a mini tornado of wind created by Jinora. The sturdy boy spun round and round in the air, resembling an absurdly uncoordinated ballerina, before being dumped into the dust.

The earthbender picked himself up with a huff. "Hey! Could I get a little help over here?" He yelled, throwing his hands up in mock anger.

Korra's eyes widened as she watched Ikki and Jinora glide dangerously close to the earth prison.

"Stop them!" She cried, sprinting after the girls. But she was too late. With a blast they blew down a wall of the cell. Meelo emerged with more bravado than a rhinocerosbull during mating season.

"Ha-ha! Taste my fury!" The tiny bender shrieked his favorite catch phrase at the teenagers, accompanying his words with a fine mist of saliva.

Korra wiped her face and narrowed her eyes at the whooping children. She glanced at Bolin, who pressed his lips into a thin line and nodded.

"Alright that's it." She growled. "It's on!" With a surging war cry, they charged.

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An hour later all five benders lay huffing in the dirt as they tried to regain their breath.

"Truce?" Bolin suggested. It didn't matter how hard they worked, he and Korra had never succeeded in capturing all three children at the same time. To his relief, Ikki and Jinora both nodded. He craned his neck to check for Meelo's approval. The little boy gave an unearthly loud snore.

He couldn't believe it! How was the kid already asleep?

Korra laughed. "I vote we interpret that as a yes."

With a sigh she pushed herself out of the dirt, dusting her tunic and trotting over to scoop Meelo off the floor. "I'm going to put this little guy to bed." She said, heading towards the tunnel pathways. Bolin and the girls gave no acknowledgement, already caught up in a heated argument over whose bending would be more useful in a fight against a panthersnake. She shook her head at them.

Korra followed the torch lit caverns until the voices of her friends began to fade. She glanced down at Meelo snoring happily in her arms. The kid was kind of cute when he slept. After only a few wrong turns she found Pemma and Tenzin's room. She rapped on the door. The sweet, motherly woman emerged, took one look at her sleeping son, and grinned.

"How in the world do you get him to take a nap?" She exclaimed.

Korra smiled. "We chased him around until he was too tired to stand."

Pemma laughed. "Well, that would do it. Here-I'll take him." She said, holding out her arms.

Korra handed the little boy over and turned to leave, pausing when Pemma called out behind her.

"By the way, I think Tenzin and Mako were looking for you. They should be in the maps room."

Korra sighed. "Thanks." She said, before beating a hasty retreat.

Agni! This was what she had been trying to avoid. She debated for a few minutes about whether to blow them off or not. She had already disappeared with the kids and Bolin for most of the morning. If she didn't show at all Tenzin would never let her hear the end of it. She kicked the floor in frustration. "Stupid meetings."

She found the maps room easily, as it stood adjacent to the lower courtyard. She entered without bothering to knock, swinging open the creaky wooden door to reveal three of her friends hunched over a table strewn with papers.

Tenzin looked up. "Ah Korra, I see you finally decided to join us." He said, making very little effort to mask the disapproval in his tone.

"Yep, I'm here." She said, doing her best to seem blasé about the whole affair.

"So, what's new?"

Mako rolled his eyes, but smiled and gave her shoulder a squeeze when she came to stand by him.

Asami grinned at her too, looking up from examining an engine sketch.

"We're talking mechanics right now," the beautiful girl informed her before addressing Tenzin.

"I think we could get these made in two weeks, if some of the United Forces troops are willing to help out in the factory." She said.

"That's excellent." Tenzin practically beamed at Asami's announcement.

"We'll just need to sneak you and however many soldiers you need out of the bunker and back into the city tonight. Are you alright with that?"

"Of course." Asami nodded confidently. "I can have my father's factory up and running by tomorrow morning."

"What time are the troops supposed to arrive?" Mako asked.

"Anytime now." Tenzin answered. "The Awles left to meet them this morning; but it may take a while to get them all to the bunker without arousing suspicion."

The monk turned back to Asami. "I'll have to talk to General Iroh, but I am confident he will be more than happy to help us with this mission."

Asami's eyes lit up at the mention of the General. Korra wondered if the girl was developing a soft spot for the leader since he fought with her against the Equalists a month ago. Now that she thought about it, Iroh and Asami _had_ spent a lot of time make polite conversation...

Korra hadn't meant to say anything while she was in here, but eventually curiosity got the best of her.

"I'm sorry, _what _exactly are we making?" She demanded.

Asami opened her mouth to answer, but Mako interjected, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "Our own air flyers!" he told her. "And with Asami's help, they should be even better than the Equalists."

"We're calling them Jets," Asami offered.

Korra pursed her lips. "Who's going to fly these?"

"Hopefully, the United Forces soldiers." Tenzin told her.

"But they won't know how." Korra exclaimed. "No one will."

Asami nodded. "You're right. They're going to have to train. We were thinking you and Mako could use your bending to create some cover. The ocean is not too far from here." She said, pointing at a map on the wall. "They could practice there and you two could keep them hidden."

"What do you think?" Mako asked, clearly pleased with the idea. "You up for it?"

"Sure." She agreed, mustering a small smile.

She could feel everyone's frowns without looking. Again, they had expected a different response. They wanted her to be enthusiastic.

Korra felt her stomach sink. This was why she had been trying to avoid this meeting. Her thoughts were all jumbled, but this plan didn't seem right. They shouldn't be preparing for an all-out war with their own people; and better machinery only meant more violence, more death... But if they didn't fight, they might as well give up!

She needed to figure all of this out, and to do that, she needed to get back into the city.

Tenzin opened his mouth to question her, but just then an ecstatic Meelo burst through the door. "The army is here! The army is here!" he crowed, spinning around the room on an air ball before landing with a thump sprawled over his father's shoulder.

Korra snickered. _Well, so much for his nap!_ She thought.

_To be continued..._

**Thanks for reading guys. Now, review! :)**


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: Hi there guys! I've spent my Saturday morning getting this typed out for everyone. Thank you all for the amazing reviews-they pretty much make my life! Hope you enjoy.**

**Also, I don't own LOK. **

Chapter 8: When The Desperate Fly

Tenzin allowed himself to be tugged from the room and led down the looping hallways by his son. When Meelo was at last satisfied that his father would not attempt to make a break for freedom he scurried over to where Korra and Mako followed a few paces behind.

"Korra can you believe it?" The five year old crowed happily. "I saw them all-and one of them saluted me! And Uncle Bumi is coming! Uncle Bumi is so fun, Korra. I know you didn't get to see him last time 'cause of your bending thingy, but you'll like him, Korra. I promise."

Korra smiled and let his childlike babble wash over her. It was comforting, in a way. Meelo didn't hate anyone, even the people who had tried to kidnap his family. The most negative feeling he seemed to have was a minimal dislike. She was tired of hate.

The group came to a stone archway overlooking an enormous gallery that Korra had seen only once on her first day. Meelo shrieked with glee and sprinted to catch up with his father, leaving the others in a swirl of dust. The little boy snagged Tenzin's hand again and pulled the two of them to the center of the archway, climbing up to peer over the railing.

"Look Daddy!"

Korra caught up with them quickly and gaped at what she saw. There were so many of them! Below, a sea of soldiers mixed and talked with no semblance of order. It looked almost like…"the square." Korra whispered, feeling a little jolt in her stomach.

Tenzin was smiling at the scene before him. "Do we have room for everyone?" Mako asked.

"The Awles told me we did. I'm assuming they know." He responded.

Asami too, had a gleam in her eye. "Well, I'm just going to go down and…" the dark haired beauty began nervously. Korra smirked. "Say hello to Iroh for me." She teased.

Asami shot her a dark glare that made everyone laugh.

"I'm coming too!" Meelo shouted.

"Okay come on Meelo, let's go." She said quickly. Without another word the pair hurried away towards a set of stairs that lead down to the gallery.

"Do you want to go down?" Mako asked her conspiratorially.

Korra laughed. No, I think I'll stand here for a while- I'm not sure how many more people will fit in that room."

Mako's face fell slightly. "But you should go." She added quickly. "I'm sure Asami and Meelo could use some looking after, and I bet Iroh wants to see you."

The two boys had become good friends after their battle against the Equalists.

The firebender perked a smile once more. "Are you sure? I could stay with you….if you wanted."

Korra stifled another laugh. It was obvious that Mako was dying to go meet the soldiers.

"Yes, I'm sure. You go." She said, giving his back a playful shove.

"Okay." He agreed, leaning over to give Korra a peck on the forehead before dashing towards the stairs after his friends.

She sighed as she watched him go. Suddenly, a devilishly pleased looking Tenzin broke her line of vision. Korra's eyes widened.

Aghh! Tui and La, why was she so stupid? A one on one chat with her mentor was the last thing she wanted right now.

She wasn't sure if the spirits had heard her cry, but just then salvation came in the form of Bolin barreling down the hallway.

"Korra," Tenzin began. "There are several things we need to talk about. You're behavior has been concerning more than a few people…"

Korra did her best to pretend to be listening, but she kept her peripheral vision trained on Bolin as he jogged towards them.

_Now!_

With a concealed wave of her hand Korra bent a small chunk of rock in front of Bolin's foot. The sturdy boy tripped and was flung off balance, stumbling forward at an alarming speed. With a gasp he smashed into Korra, and she took the opportunity to weaken the stone railing behind her. With the two teen's combined weight the wall quickly crumbled, and Korra allowed herself to fall back off the archway and towards the packed gallery some fifty feet below. Her last sight was of the men's faces as she plummeted. Bolin hung halfway off the bridge, his hands stretched out as if to catch her. Tenzin simply gaped at the scene, his face set into its signature frown.

Korra felt the air be crushed from her lungs as she fell. She needed to catch herself, she knew. But Bolin looked like he might topple, and she didn't think she could bend enough air to catch both of them. With as much control as she could muster she bent the stone railing back into place, relieved when Bolin was able to pull himself more firmly on to the archway. Then she turned. The ground was coming at her awfully fast. Had she misjudged the distance? She let instinct take over and bent a sharp gust of air to throw her to the left, away from the heads of the soldiers, and then another to slow her fall. The second wall of air didn't have quite the effect she had hoped, and she smashed heavily into the ground.

With a groan she sat up, shaking her head to clear it. The soldiers who had seen her fall, clustered around her in a small circle.

Someone asked, "Are you alright miss?"

She struggled for a moment with what to say; It wasn't exactly easy to explain away her fall to a group of worried strangers.

"Oh yes, she'll be fine." A deep voice answered from behind her, grabbing her elbow and helping her stand.

_Okay, maybe it was easy._

"Thank you for your concern gentlemen." The man said.

The soldiers nodded, content with this response, and returned to what they had been doing.

When most of the young men had stopped staring her rescuer leaned forward and whispered, "That was awfully stupid."

Korra jerked around, she knew that voice. "Kaz! What are you doing?" She said thickly.

The Awle frowned at her. "Currently, I am wondering why the Avatar would intentionally throw herself off a bridge."

"Wh-What?" She asked. "It was an accident." She finished feebly.

His scowl only deepened. "You're a terrible liar, Korra. And I'm a second generation earthbender selected and trained by Toph's secret service. Do you honestly think I can't tell when someone is bending my element?"

Korra let out a strangled sound of denial, but Kaz didn't bite.

"You wanted to fall. Now fess up." Then young man said sharply.

Korra glared, but that didn't deter Kaz, who simply glared back. After a few seconds of unsuccessfully trying to stare him down. Korra gave in grudgingly.

"Fine. I just really didn't want to talk to Tenzin. Okay?"

"And you thought hurling yourself off a bridge was a reasonable alternative?" He cried, anger and disbelief mingling in his voice.

"Clearly, you've never had a heart to heart with my mentor!" Korra growled.

Kaz stared at her for a long moment, and then with no warning, he burst out in laughter. The young man clutched his stomach and tears rolled down his face as his frame shook uncontrollably. For a moment, he reminded her of Bolin.

After he had gotten it out of his system, Kaz stood back up and looked at her again, his frown returning.

His hand reached up to touch her chin. She almost swatted it away in annoyance, but he pulled back quickly, his fingers stained red with blood.

"Here." He said, pulling a small but clean looking cloth from his pocket.

Korra ran her tongue across her bottom lip, feeling the torn skin and the sharp tang of blood. She wiped her face on the cloth Kaz offered and then pressed it to the cut. With her mind she reached out to feel the water in the air, giving it an experimental tug. A small pool collected in her hand, and she bent it to her lip. Relaxing into the cooling sensation as it healed the small injury.

Kaz was staring at her. "That's pretty cool, you know?"

Korra flushed, letting the water drop to the dirt floor. "Um, here." She said, sheepishly offering him the bloodied cloth back.

The young man shook his head. "No, it's okay. You keep it. With your evasion tactics I have a feeling you're going to need it more than I do."

Korra scowled at him again, but tucked the cloth into her pocket.

Kaz's attention snagged on something behind her.

With a quick bow, he retreated. "As always, Avatar, it has been a pleasure."

The Awle disappeared easily into the crowd.

A few seconds later Korra felt a strong pair of arms encircle her from behind, lifting her off the ground.

"Korra! Are you okay?" Bolin spluttered. "I'm so sorry. I'm so clumsy sometimes!"

"Bolin!" Korra cut in over his apologies. "It's okay, seriously. It was my fault."

"No it wasn't." The boy exclaimed. "I smashed in to _you_."

Korra's stomach churned guiltily. This really wasn't fair to Bolin.

"Bo, I'm not hurt. Don't worry about it. Let's just, not say anything about this to Mako. Okay?"

The younger boy nodded his agreement.

Truthfully, Korra was relieved that Mako hadn't seen her fall to begin with. She had half expected him to come rushing over demanding to know what had happened. Perhaps luck was on her side…for once.

"It's alright Tenzin. She's fine." Bolin shouted to the rapidly approaching airbender.

_Not again! _She thought.

Korra was relieved to see Tenzin sidetracked by Lin Beifong, who instantly pulled him into a discussion about the soldiers quarters. Tenzin merely frowned and nodded in their direction, allowing himself to be led off by Lin.

A tug on her pants leg caught Korra's attention.

"Korra! We wooked all over for you!" Meelo chastised her.

"Come on." He demanded, grabbing Bolin by one hand and her with the other.

"We're going to meet my Uncle Bumi!"

_Agni_! Korra thought. This place had suddenly become quite busy.

She shook her head one more time, clearing away the last remnants of fuzziness from her fall, and followed the insistent little boy. It was going to be a long day.

_To be continued…_

**Are you all excited to meet Bumi? I am! And, I always feel so incredibly redundant saying this, but please review. I will update faster if you do. Also, if you don't review, somewhere in Unicornville, Voldemort gets a snack…**

**You guys are awesome! Thanks,**

**-Mgirl **


	9. Chapter 9

**So, I know I mentioned getting to meet Bumi (and we are!) but it's not going to happen until the next chapter. Hang in there guys. Until then, enjoy. **

Chapter 9: An Evening Escapade

Korra slunk through the halls with feather light footsteps. An aching stillness had settled around the bunker as even the soldiers quieted and went to bed. She had half begun to believe the United Forces troops were nocturnal, but about an hour ago their shouts and merriment had finally begun to die down. That was her cue.

A door creaked somewhere up the hall, forcing her to seek cover against the cold stone walls. She froze, willing each limb to simply seep into oblivion. She waited a few moments, but no other sounds followed.

_Come on wimp_. She chided herself. _Get a move on. _

If her escape plan ended with her being caught huddling on the ground like a toddler she might just die from embarrassment.

She peeled herself from the wall cautiously, pausing for another moment to listen. Satisfied, she began her trek once more, following the meticulously chosen path to the exit that she had crafted the morning before.

"Going somewhere?"

Korra spun, already cursing herself as she recognized the voice behind her.

"Mako."

"You're about as quiet as a Komodorhino- you know that?"

They muscled young man looked surly, his mouth twisted in disappointment.

Korra could have punched the frown off his face in annoyance- mostly at herself, so she supposed the outlet would have been misplaced.

"Did you come out here just to insult me?" She seethed.

Mako's voice tightened. "No. I came after you to stop you from doing something reckless and stupid."

"Well you're out of luck. Leave me alone."

Mako closed his eyes and brought a hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose. He responded without looking at her, letting out a heavy sigh.

"Just tell me where we're going, Korra."

She huffed. "_We_ aren't going anywhere." She spun on her heel, heading towards the exit from the bunker.

Somewhere inside Korra registered that she was being cruel. Mako loved her, wanted to protect her, and she might as well have been bending a wall up between them. But then her thoughts flashed back to the square- she simply couldn't bear to have the people she loved get hurt anymore. For once, she needed to be able to do her job and protect them.

With these thoughts weighing heavy on her heart she marched down the hallway. Mako lunged forward and snagged her forearm, forcing her to stop. She kept her gaze stubbornly forward, refusing to look into the golden eyes she was sure would melt her resolve.

"Please." He whispered. "You want to get out of here-I understand that. But here's the deal, Korr. Either I'm coming with you, or I'm going to stand right here and shout as loud as I can until everyone in this entire bunker wakes up."

Korra jerked around, leveling her gaze at him. "You wouldn't."

"Try me."

Mako watched her consider his threat. She bit her lip, tugging at newly healed skin as a flurry of emotions warred in her eyes.

He let silence slide in between them, not rushing her, giving the girl he loved time to consider the offer he desperately hoped she would accept.

When she spoke, her concession was reluctant. "Alright. But you have to promise me something."

Now it was his turn to be wary. "What?"

"If something happens," he raised his eyebrows. "which it won't," she added firmly. "But if something does happen, promise me that you'll get out of there and let _me_ take care of myself."

Years on the street had made him a cool liar. "I promise." He said gravely, infusing his voice with sincerity. He wondered, still, if she could tell how false it was.

She shook her head at him, but took a few steps forward, pressing her cheek against his chest as he wrapped his arms around her. They held each other briefly. "I mean it." Korra mumbled against his skin. "Keep your promise."

With a considerable force of will power he pulled away and took her hand.

"Alright butt-kicker. Lead the way."

They weren't far from the path leading out of the bunker, and a few minutes of eager steps brought them to the center of a hollow tower. Moonlight glistened on the cold packed dirt beneath their feet, shimmering off tiny crystals in the stone of the walls that would otherwise have gone unnoticed. The exit was a small open circle at the top of the seventy foot tall tower. The walls narrowed as they rose, their surface smooth and free of climbing holds. The bunker was built for an earthbender. Fortunately for them, she was one.

As quietly as possible she pulled steps from the ground, adding on as they climbed, one level at a time. It felt a bit like walking into the sky. She began to get nervous as they ascended. She strained, each muscle trembled in the effort to pull earth from the receding ground. She considered pulling it from the walls, but decided that might jeopardize the stability of the tower. She revised her earlier thought, this bunker was built for an incredibly talented earthbender-and she was beginning to wonder if she measured up.

Only a few feet stood between them and the opening when the stack of stairs began to quiver beneath their feet. She glanced to her side to see that Mako had climbed up beside her, now on the same level as she. The stair began to crumble.

Panic widened her eyes as their feet lost purchase. She hadn't put enough earth into it to support both their weight. With a yelp she jumped, her hands flailing through the night air as she sought the ledge of the ground above them. She found it, and she prayed that Mako had done the same. His body slammed into hers, easing her fears but shaking her hold as they both clung desperately to the ledge of the hole. Mako pulled himself up quickly, striking out bravely with one arm for a new hold as he pressed his chest into the dirt. He must have found a rock, because he hoisted himself onto solid ground with ease. Korra did the same, but was not as lucky. One hand gripping the ledge she searched blindly for any traction, coming up with nothing more than a fistful of broken grass. A scream locked behind her lips as she slid backwards.

Her fall was prevented by Mako. He snatched her hand and pulled her the rest of the way up. When she had crawled far enough away from the hole to assure herself that she was not in danger of falling back in, Korra rolled onto her back, allowing her panting breath to rise up as cold wisps of white in the darkness.

Night stars twinkled in the sky next to a full moon. Korra closed her eyes, allowing its soft light to fill her body, adding strength to her limbs. Somewhere far away she felt gentle pull of the ocean. She sniffed, searching for the sweet tang of salt in the air. When her breath had stilled she forced herself into sitting position. Mako watched her, his body stretched out with his head propped on his hand.

"You good?" He asked.

She nodded. "I've got to go smooth the ground back down. Will you, um, watch me? Just to make sure I don't fall back in?"

Mako fought a smirk. "Glad you brought me along yet?"

Korra rolled her eyes. "Whatever." She mumbled, moving back to the hole. It was much easier, she found, to bend the earth downwards. Perhaps it wasn't fond of fighting gravity. Mako kept a hand on her ankle as she leaned over the opening, and this small act was more comforting than she cared to admit. In short order the floor of the tower had been returned to a smooth packing of dirt.

"There." Korra sighed with satisfaction. Now no one would be the wiser.

She accepted Mako's hand and he helped pull her to her feet. Without asking he struck out in the direction of republic city. Korra hurried to catch up.

"How did you know we needed to go this way?" She asked. She'd had to spend several hours staring at a map to make sure she had the route to the city figured out. The ease with which he seemed to know his direction was almost irritating.

"I was awake when we came here, remember? You, on the other hand, were taking a nap." Mako retorted, his voice teasing.

"I was unconscious with a concussion!" She cried indignantly. "That hardly counts as napping."

"Whatever you say." Mako chuckled. "Either way, you were still asleep."

Korra grumbled something unintelligible, settling into a swift pace at the firebender's side.

They walked silently for several miles. Korra, for one, was enjoying the simple pleasure of being outdoors. She hadn't realized how cooped up she'd felt in the bunker. The moon above her and the cool night breeze against her neck felt like pure bliss.

"So," Mako began, breaking the comfortable silence. "You realize it's probably going to take us most of the night just to make it to the city. Don't you think someone will notice you're gone tomorrow?"

Korra shook her head. "I took care of it." She kept her eyes trained on the dry landscape in front of them. Red dirt stretched in all directions, the barrenness broken only occasionally by a cluster of boulders or a struggling section of greenery. Even the trees looked a bit shriveled. In the distance the lights of Republic City twinkled their greeting.

"Mmmm?" Mako let the throaty sound rise in question. "How'd you manage that?"

Korra considered her answer for a moment. She didn't want Mako to hold a grudge against her new friend.

"Kaz is covering for me." She revealed at last. "He's one of the Awles."

Mako was grateful for the darkness as his look changed from one of surprise to a barely contained burst of amusement. It had been a young man named Kaz who had approached him early that evening and encouraged him to keep an eye on the avatar during the night. He supposed now he knew why.

"What?" Korra asked, noting his strange expression.

"Nothing." Mako said, working to hide the humor in his voice. "Just wondering, do you think he'll cover for me too?"

Korra snorted, but didn't answer the question.

So, she didn't know her friend had told on her. Well, Mako wasn't going to be the one to enlighten her.

When the sky first began to lighten they broke into a jog, heading for a cluster of trees just at the edge of the city. They reached it quickly. Korra collapsed at the base of a huge Oak, leaning her head against Mako, who slunk down beside her. She closed her eyes wearily, allowing exhaustion to overtake her. They'd trekked the ten miles from the bunker to the city, and the lack of sleep was finally beginning to get to her. She'd spent the last two evening's sneaking around preparing for this trip, and it hadn't left a lot of snooze time.

"Quick nap?" She asked hopefully, not bothering to try opening her eyes. Even speaking felt hard, the words thick against her tongue.

Mako smiled tenderly down at Korra's relaxed form. "You go ahead." He said, brushing an unruly piece of hair from her cheek. "I'll take the first watch."

Korra nodded subtly. "Okay," she slurred. "But wake me up soon and I'll watch while you sleep."

The last few words died softly on her lips as she slipped into unconsciousness even before she could finish the sentence.

Mako let his fingers play absently with her hair, taking comfort in Korra's slow, measured breaths against his chest. He puzzled over the outskirts of the city…thinking…wondering.

_To be continued…_

**Thanks for all the reader responses guys. If not for you I probably would have moved on from this story long ago. Also, someone kindly suggested that I bump the rating on this story up because of the fighting in chapter 3. I have done this. Thanks for the suggestion! Now for the reiterative part: **

**Comments = Chapters. I'll let you decide if that means you want to click the review button. **

**And at last, something new: Is anyone interested in being a beta reader for this story? I could use someone checking silly grammar mistakes (like an added or missing word) and general content (Is something boring? Do we need more Makorra? ect). PM me if you're interested, or I guess, if you're a guest...comment and say you want to? I don't remember what guests can and can't do. **

**Classy French air kisses to everyone. **

**-Mgirl**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Hi guys. I'm so sorry for the incredibly long break between updates. I had to make it through the last few weeks of school. Finals have been all wrapped up and I have the summer ahead of me. I hope to update rather frequently! Thank you to everyone who has hung in there and waited for this most recent addition to the story. You guys are great! Ps. I do not own LOK. As if!**

Chapter 10: The Unvarnished Truth

Korra awoke unceremoniously with her face pressed against Mako's stomach. She lifted herself off the ground slowly, careful not to jostle her companion. Birds chirped from the trees above them and sunlight filtered through the leaves. Rubbing sleep from her eyes, Korra ran a hesitant hand through her hair, stifling a groan when she felt the knotted mess it had become. God, she missed those ponytails. Her hair pieces had gotten lost in the explosion, and she'd had to make do without them every day since. With a resigned sigh she set to untangling the catastrophe of her hair and forcing it into a semi orderly braid, taking in her surroundings as she worked. Republic city's skyline rose up about a mile away from the small cluster of trees that they had taken shelter in at dawn. And judging by the sun, she guessed it was close to midday. Mako snored very lightly beside her, his back pressed against the tree and his face turned up. She'd been fuzzy on the events before she fell asleep, but Korra vaguely remembered Mako saying something about keeping watch. She fought a grin as she took in his sleeping form. He looked, peaceful. Scooting towards him, she pressed both hands against his shoulders and kissed him softly. Mako's eyes shot open in surprise, closing again as he kissed her back. A minute later Korra pulled away, breathing heavily and leaning against Mako's chest. The firebender chuckled, pressing his lips to her forehead and murmuring into her hair, "I could get used to waking up like that."

"Hmph." Korra snorted. "You're going to have to become a better lookout if you expect to keep getting kissed awake."

Mako laughed aloud. "You're right. I kind of botched that one didn't I?" With a wicked grin he slid into a low bow, sweeping his arm in front of him in mock seriousness. "I promise great Avatar, that I will do better next time."

The corners of Korra's mouth twitched.

"Can your Greatness ever forgive me?" Mako peeked his head up from the bow, attempting a pleading expression that came out more as a smirk.

Korra fought doubly hard to frown. "Firebender, you have brought great dishonor upon yourself. I simply don't know that I can ever—

"Gah!" Korra exhaled with a thump as Mako charged, grabbing her around the stomach and lifting her up. She wrapped her legs around his midsection and they both dissolved into giggles.

"Okay," Korra breathed. "You're forgiven."

Blue eyes met golden and for a second the teenagers forgot the problems of the world resting on their shoulders. For a moment, they were just Korra and Mako; and they were in love.

Mako broke away first this time, lowering his girlfriend to the ground. With a sigh he glanced toward Republic City. "Shall we?" he asked, holding out his hand.

Korra pecked him one last time on the cheek and accepted his upturned palm.

"We shall."

* * *

The streets of Republic City were eerily silent as they made their way through the small clusters of shops and stalls. Korra kept her hood pulled low to hide her face, grateful that the day was cool and her outfit was not especially suspicious. Mako followed a hairs breath behind her. Each time their bodies brushed she could feel the tension of his muscles. He was on guard and on edge, in full on protective mode. She chanced a glance at the tight set of his jaw. He looked like very much like the boy who had grown up fighting his way through the streets. In short, someone you didn't want to mess with.

Korra's spirits sank. How was she going to convince people to talk to her when she had a body guard who looked like he wanted to smash their faces in?

She led the way to a secluded corner of the market, turning to face Mako as she paused. "I vote we divide and conquer" she whispered. You find Skootchy and see what he can tell you. I'll see what I can pick up from the vendors here." She eyed his face hopefully.

"Not a chance, Korra. I'm not leaving you." The young firebender said stubbornly, crossing his arms across his chest.

Korra made a noise of exasperation. "Fine." She said, mimicking his gesture and crossing her arms. "But then you have to stop looking like Mr. Tough Guy over here. No one is going to talk to us when you're acting like a hired guard."

Mako blinked in surprise, his mouth twisting into a frown. He sighed slowly, attempting to control his temper. "Fine." He agreed. "I can do that."

Korra raised one eyebrow doubtfully, but turned on her heal and marched back towards the stalls with Mako following close behind.

* * *

"Um yea, sure. I'll take a cabbage." Korra glanced at Mako hopefully. He rolled his eyes and pulled several yuans from his pocket, handing them to her.

Korra approached the vendor who had hailed them over. "Just one please."

The man nodded and began packaging the cabbage for them. "So," Korra said, causally, as if she were just striking up idle conversation. "Have you worked here long?" The cabbage vendor glanced at her.

"Young lady, I have worked this booth selling cabbages since I was twelve years old." He said seriously.

"Oh. Um, that's nice." Korra scratched her head nervously.

"So there's been a lot of talk lately about Equalists. Have you heard anything?"

The cabbage seller paused in his task, eyeing her suspiciously. "Who's asking?"

Korra fumbled, searching for something to tell him that would set the man at ease.

"You know, I'm a non bender and my family is worried. I just wondered if you had heard anything that might cause problems." She paused thoughtfully. "We're thinking about leaving the city soon." She added, hoping this last bit would convince the man of her genuine worry.

The vendor nodded slowly before responding, the suspicion leaving his eyes. "A lot of talk like that going on. Course for me'self, I won't leave. My family has lived here for nine generations-long before it was Republic City.

"Oh." Korra responded smartly.

"You know," the vendor continued. "The funny thing is, I haven't heard anything about the Equalists this time around. Last time there was somebody knockin on my door every day of the week trying ta' get me to join the cause. This time, nothin'."

He nodded again, mumbling to himself. "Yes. Mighty strange."

Korra thanked him quickly and left with her cabbage, exiting the market down the first alleyway she found.

When she was satisfied that they were alone, she stopped. She leaned against the rough brick across from Mako, puzzling over all they had found. The cabbage man was the fourth vendor they had talked to, and he had hit upon something that had been bothering Korra as well.

"He's right." She said at last, breaking the silence between them. "It doesn't add up."

Mako waited patiently for her to finish her thoughts.

"Last time there were all those fliers, and speakers in the park, and secret rallies…this time-nothing. Mako," she said slowly. "Do you think someone could be using the Equalists as a front?"

He sighed, rubbing his brow. Honestly, he'd been wondering the same thing. "I don't know Korr, but you're right. It seems off somehow."

They were both silent for another moment.

"Everything seems…normal now." She said at last. "The other vendors said the disappearances have stopped." She glanced up sharply from the piece of ground she had been studying. "What do you think it means, that only children were taken? And Skootchy…" she trailed off, eyeing the pain in Mako's expression.

They had searched for the boy for almost an hour. Finally they found some of the kids he usually ran around with, and for a few yuans they told them that Skootchy had been missing for over a week. Mako wouldn't talk about it, but she suspected it cut him deeply. He and Bolin had grown up in the same life as Skootchy. He obviously felt some connection and responsibility for the little boy.

Korra pushed off the wall, crossing the distance between them and laying a hand on Mako's shoulder. "Hey." She said softly. "I'm sure he's going to be okay."

Mako nodded, pulling her into a swift hug. "It's getting dark. Ready to head back to the bunker?"

Korra nodded. "Let's go."

They made their way back through the dim alleyway, emerging on the opposite side of the market. Korra shivered in the brisk night air, pulling her hood around her with a sense of unease.

She'd felt vaguely as if they were being watched all day. But she'd seen nothing to support her intuition, and Mako didn't seem to share the feeling. The pair moved stealthily through the streets, headed towards the outskirts of the city. They were passing by a slew of abandoned warehouses when she noticed Mako tense up. He moved closer to her, stepping in sync with her walk.

"What's wrong?" she asked, not daring to break her gait.

"Triad territory." Mako muttered, his eyes scanning the buildings around them.

He was looking to the right when attackers rose from the shadows to their left.

"Aggh!" Korra let out a yelp of pain as a kick collided with her ribs. She flipped backwards, right into Mako, and the two of them stumbled and collapsed to the ground in a heap. Their assailants moved in quickly, with a stealth and fighting style Korra had never seen before. Mako regained his feet first, leaping in front of Korra and bending jets of fire at the dark shrouded figures. His punches met with empty air. The attackers moved fluidly, so much so that Korra couldn't get her eyes to truly focus on them. She fought with her back pressed against Mako, taking more hits than she delivered. She could feel Mako's body shudder against hers with each brutal attack. Korra tried each element after the next, bending at her attackers until sweat drenched her shirt and pain wracked her body. Wind proved the most effective, and with each gust she bent the assailants appeared to shimmer in the air, almost like…_Spirits_.

It was the last thought she had before she fell to the street, unconscious.

Mako felt Korra fall behind him. With a last desperate jolt of adrenaline he tried to pull her from the ground and make a run for it. Only then did he realize how many more attackers there were than he had thought. They had all been focused on fighting Korra. He was clutching the limp form of the girl he loved when a well-placed kick collided with his head. Mako slumped, and he too, saw his world dissolve into darkness.

**Annnd the cliff hangers make a resurgence! Thank you for reading. Also, as I am sure everyone already knows, more reviews=more updates. Go for it!**

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	11. Chapter 11

**We meet again, awesome readers! In case you missed it the other ten times I said it: I do not own Legend of Korra. Enjoy. :)**

Chapter 11: A Supernatural Disaster

Mako's head pounded with a viciousness he'd never encountered. For a full ten seconds he allowed himself to keep his eyes shut, feeling the bursts of fire explode inside his skull. When it became clear that nothing would help the pain, not lying still and certainly not getting up, he forced his way back into the world of the conscious. The moon stared down at him from a slanted angle in the sky. Mako took a deep breath, clawing through the pain in his head as he tried to think clearly. Something was wrong, very wrong. And he'd obviously been in a fight. Korra must have been—Korra!

Mako was up and stumbling along the street in seconds. He'd only gone a few yards when the pain in his head hit a crescendo. It pounded with such splitting agony that it really might have been preferable to have his head cleaved in two. The pain made him double over, clutching his head with both arms. Fighting back a scream he crawled to the ground, filled with more pain, misery, and self-loathing than he had ever thought possible. "I lost her. I lost her." The thought ran circles in his addled brain until he moaned it out loud. Each word came out shaking, along with the rest of him. "I l-lost her." For Mako, it was an irreparable fact.

* * *

On another side of Republic City…

* * *

Korra had never been the kind to regain consciousness all at once. She could speak with some authority on the matter because, frankly, she'd made the journey between blackness and being awake more times than she cared to remember. It usually happened slowly. She'd start to hear sounds; her vision would return in dim flashes, and gradually, she would wake up.

This was not "usually."

She awoke with a jolt, throwing herself against the bonds that held her and immediately becoming aware of the excruciating pain that anchored her to reality. She bit her cheek. Pain was good, she told her panicking mind. Pain would keep her sharp, help her fight. Her nervous system continued to disagree. So she compartmentalized, shoving the pain back to a place where it could be felt, but ignored. She needed to think. A foul dampness hung in the air, coupled with the stomach-wrenching scent of burned flesh. It was her own skin that had been burned, she realized. The leg of her pants still singed, just above the knee, and a jagged red line of flesh was exposed through the missing fabric.

The room was dark, and it took a minute for her eyes to adjust. It was small and made entirely of concrete from floor to ceiling. There were no windows, just a single heavily wooded door directly in front of her. It had been swung halfway open. If she was going to escape, she would have to go through the rest of this building.

Outside the door she could make out muddled voices.

"He's incapacitated."

"Still?" a second voice inquired.

"Yes."

"Let him be then. Enough time has elapsed that he won't be able to find us. We'll leave in three days anyway."

"We could just kill him. He's no use to us."

Were they talking about Mako? She strained her ears even harder. _Please let him be alright._ There was an unbearable pause before the second voice answered again, sounding thoughtful.

"No. He'll cause more of a calamity if he's dead. Just leave him be."

"As you wish."

Korra breathed a sigh of relief, hoping the voices would go on. Was Mako there with her? Was he in another room? Was he hurt?

"She's awake."

The voice bellowed from behind and to her left. Korra jerked her head around, straining to see her captor. A knuckly man leered down at her. Before she could react more people entered the room, and Korra twisted back to center, eyeing the man at the head of the group as evenly as he eyed her.

He wore a white linen suit that bulged over excess flesh. His eyes were small and blood shot, sunken into his face and shrouded by flushed cheeks.

The man smiled. It was a cordial smile that felt absurdly out of place, as if he were greeting a lifelong friend rather than a beaten girl who was, at present, chained to a metal chair.

"Shen," he said, holding out his hand and offering another beatific smile.

Korra puzzled at the hand for an instant, wondering what, exactly, he expected. There was no way she could shake it, chained as she was. It was a brief moment; Korra quickly decided she didn't care. Anger surged through her and she spat on his outstretched palm.

Shen's lip curled up in disgust. One of the men behind him offered up a towel, and he wiped his hand with it before turning his attention back to Korra.

"You will learn some respect, Avatar." He hissed her title, his eyes turning black and inhuman. He curled his fist and pain gripped Korra's head, her vision swimming. She clenched her teeth. _I will not scream. I will not scream. _

But she did. She screamed for a full minute before Shen released his fist and her entire body slumped forward. She could barely lift her head, but she forced the words through her teeth.

"What _are _you?"

Shen laughed. It was a dry, humorless sound. "In due time, Avatar. In due time. Suffice to say that you are going to be very valuable to us."

One of the men from the back of the room pressed his way forward, whispering in Shen's ear. He nodded before turning back to her.

"Get some rest Avatar. We'll speak again." He glanced at the guard still in the back of the room. His eyes flashed and he mouthed something she couldn't make out.

With that he turned and left, his men filing out of the room behind him.

"Wait!" Korra called desperately. She let pain infuse her voice, pushing past her pride and making herself sound…broken. It was the only way she might get them to tell her what she needed to know.

Shen paused in the doorway, glancing at her.

She took her opportunity. "The boy, the one who was with me, is he…"

She slumped even more. It wasn't a difficult show to put on. All she had to do was let herself feel the pain and fear and the hopelessness that was already there.

Shen considered her for a moment. "Alive," he said at last. "We have no use for him." He turned to leave, calling out one last phrase over his shoulder. "You will never see him again."

_Alive._ It was the most beautiful word she had ever heard. Mako was alive, and not here, she surmised.

The room emptied and remained dark. She had no way to measure the passing of time, but it felt like hours she sat there, unwilling to sleep as the guard stood in the back corner of the room. Korra had never considered herself a master strategist, but eventually she came up with a plan. It would hurt, but she didn't quite care. All she needed was for it to work.

The metal chair she was chained to wasn't too far from the back wall. She pushed the chair backwards incrementally in movements she hoped would be too small to notice. When the chair was, at last, angled up against the wall, she put her plan into motion. Gritting her teeth she slammed her body against the wall with all her might. There was a loud pop as her shoulder slid out of socket. She gasped in pain, her eyes tearing. She had all of two seconds to pull off this next part. That was how long she estimated it would take for the guard to reach her: two seconds. She wriggled her torso, sliding her dislocated shoulder through the chains at an unnatural angle. When the chains fell off she pulled her other arm free and rammed the wall again. It hurt like hell, but her shoulder popped back into socket. The guard was on her. He smacked her face with the back of his hand and light exploded across one eye. She bent up chunks of earth from the floor, covering the guard's mouth and fastening him to the wall.

She held her breath. The guard struggled, but his restraints held. He tried to scream and the sound came out muffled. _It worked. _

It took another two minutes to get fully free of the chains. When she did, she crept over to the door. It was locked from the inside. She found a pair of keys in the pocket of her guard. He struggled, but she freed them and slid the key into the lock.

She swung the door open a centimeter at a time, peeking her uninjured eye through the crack. Two men walked down the hallway going in the opposite direction of her cell. Korra froze.

"Did you send Lee to check the facility where the benders are being held?"

"Yes sir. He returned yesterday evening. He reported that the station was secure and the captives are being prepared for departure."

"Good. Tell Captain Teike that everything is proceeding as scheduled."

The two men rounded a corner and their voices drifted out of hearing. Korra exhaled heavily. The hallway looked clear. She crept out of the room. Every step felt like a knife to her left leg, and her head still ached as if someone had been hitting it with a sledge hammer. _Don't think about it,_ she chided herself. Instead of focusing on the pain, Korra focused on fear: the fear of getting caught, of failing as an Avatar, of losing Mako…she took all that, and channeled it into adrenaline. If there was one thing she had learned in her 17 years as the Avatar, it was that there are few things as motivating as fear. It was now or never.

She broke into a run down the hallway. Taking advantage of the fact that her captors had taken her shoes, she used earthbending to get a sense of the grounds. She made a right turn and kept sprinting, urging her burning lungs to work harder. She was almost to the exit when she heard a pursuit behind her.

She chanced a look over her shoulder. Three men dressed in the same clothes as the guard in her cell were running after her. From the looks of it, they were gaining ground.

_Just a little further,_ she begged her body. Her left leg shook each time it hit the floor. _Please don't give out. You can do it._ It felt like begging a mountain to dance.

She paused just long enough to bend a powerful spiral of wind at the wooden door blocking her way out. It collapsed with a bang. The sky outside was barely beginning to lighten, just bright enough for Korra to see that she was at the harbor, and that there was a pier to her right. More people had now been alerted of her escape, and the sounds of calamity swelled from the building.

_Water._ It could save her. She sprinted in the direction of the bay. Her pursuers had not slackened. They chased her down the pier. The planked wood seemed to stretch on endlessly, but at last she could see the water shimmering just a few steps ahead. One of the guards caught the back of her shirt, his nails clawing her skin. She threw herself forward desperately, letting all of her body weight lean towards the water. She heard the fabric rip, and she plummeted face first into the bay. She used waterbending to push herself as deep as possible, going in the opposite direction of the splashes she heard above. She got as far away as she could, waiting until her lungs were screaming before taking the time to bend herself a small bubble of air. She took a moment, deep under the water to get her bearings. They would be looking for her, but where? In the end she decided to circle around the city and emerge at a little known strip past the harbor.

* * *

When she found her way to the bank it was well past sunrise. Korra dragged herself half out of the water and collapsed, her cheek pressed into wet sand. Every muscle ached, begging for rest. But she couldn't stop. She needed to find Mako, to make sure he was okay. She refused to consider any alternative situation. She would find Mako and he would be okay. She could keep moving long enough to do that.

_To be continued…_

**Well, this chapter should give you plenty to wonder about. I would like to extend a huge thank you to my beta reader for going through this latest installment and fixing my mistakes. Did everyone notice the impeccable grammar? Yea, I can't take credit for that. Wish I could, but I can't. I would also like to thank everyone who has followed and taken the time to read this story. You are all wonderful and I am extremely grateful for your interest. I would love to hear feedback from anyone who has something to say. Let me know what you're thinking and if you have any theories about what's going on here. There is some duplicity afoot! *rubs hands together and grins mysteriously***

**Until next time—**

**Mgirl**


	12. Chapter 12

**Hi there awesome readers! No, I did not die. I'm sorry it took so ridiculously long for me to update. I won't do it again. Just, life got in the way. So I hope you all enjoy this chapter! It hasn't been beta proofed yet. I wanted to get it posted as quickly as possible. **

**I don't own Korra.**

Chapter 12: Found

It was well into the morning when Korra pulled herself shivering from the water of the Bay and up onto the shore. Every part of her hurt. With leaden arms she bent water into a small sphere, holding it over the worst of her injuries until it glowed blue and the skin and muscle began to knit. It took a precious twenty minutes to heal the more severe injuries. Her arms were still dotted with small cuts, and her legs were badly bruised where the chains had been fastened, but none of these were going to keep her from moving quickly. With Mako out there somewhere, and her kidnappers presumably still hunting her, she didn't want to waste any more daylight. Grabbing onto a root sticking out of the bank above, she pulled herself into standing position. The pain had lessened, but she was still sore all over and shivering uncontrollably. Doing her best to shake the exhaustion from her step and work some life back into her numb limbs, Korra hurried toward the place she had last seen Mako, just before they were attacked.

The city was eerily calm despite the hour, and many of the stalls along the vendor streets were left empty. She had been hoping that there would be crowds of people for her to blend into, but she was able to tread the streets almost unhindered. She'd lost her disguise some time ago. The people who worked for Shen had taken her hooded cloak, and she'd had to shed her heavier outer tunic during her underwater escape. She was dressed now only in fitted pants and her tank top. The thin fabric did nothing to stop the unseasonably cool breeze that hit her skin, as she did her best to keep her teeth from chattering loudly.

It took an hour to make her way across Republic City to the warehouse district she'd been kidnapped from. She kept checking her surroundings nervously, hoping that she was not being followed. If Shen's men saw her, they did not approach or try to attack. Her luck seemed too good to be true, and she continued to check her back anxiously every few minutes while she looked for Mako. There was no sign of him on the street they had been on the day before, save for some rifts in the earth and scorch marks that had been created in the fight. The longer she looked without finding him the more the knot of dread in her stomach grew. _Please, Agni._ She whispered, "let him be alright."

She worked her way systematically from street to street, calling his name softly and then pausing to listen to the silence as he failed to call back. The Warehouse district was large and unkempt, and two more hours passed in quick succession. Her eyelids were beginning to droop in fatigue. Her limbs moved sluggishly and she'd never been so cold in her life. _And this coming from a girl who grew up in the South Pole,_ she thought bitterly. She'd combed through the entire district now, and was about ready to collapse into tears. _Please,_ she begged the spirits again, _please let me find him. I need him, and if he's not okay…_She trailed off. The thought was too horrible even to think. The tears flowed freely now, and through her blurred vision she thought she saw a white form hurtling towards her from the outskirts of the city. Fear gripped her body, and she dropped automatically into a fighting stance. She swiped at the water in her eyes, and as the white figure came closer, it let out a familiar howl.

"Naga!" Korra almost screamed. She could see several figures on the saddle, and within a few seconds she was being licked furiously by her beloved pet. Two young men dressed in green slid to the ground. "Korra!" They shouted, "Are you alright? Spirits Korra you look awful. Are you shivering?"

"Bolin? Kaz?" She croaked, her voice cracking. She shook her head to clear the confusion. "Where's…" Her voice trailed off as she noticed the black haired figure still slumped in Naga's saddle. "No," she whispered. Bolin followed her gaze, and reached out to grab her wrist.

"He's going to be okay, Korra. There's something wrong with his head and Kaz gave him something that put him to sleep."

Korra shook off Bolin's grip and dashed forward. "Mako!" She cried. The young man stirred slightly at the sound of her voice, emitting a loud moan. She grabbed him around his abdomen, tugging him off Naga and almost falling to the ground under his weight. Before they could both topple Kaz had taken most of Mako's weight and settled him on the ground while Bolin steadied her. Korra collapsed to her knees, unmindful of the cuts and burns, and was pulling water from the air. She formed the small sphere for the second time that day and held it to Mako's head. His eyes were clenched tight with pain, his face was bloody from a cut on his cheek and dirt caked his clothes and hair. The water began to glow blue, and for a moment it seemed like everything might be okay. Then Korra felt a slash of pain travel through the water and up her arms. She pulled back with a yelp and dropped the water with shaking hands. It splashed to the ground.

There was something wrong. This wasn't a normal injury. She was vaguely aware of Kaz and Bolin's hands on her, their voices saying her name over and over. But Korra was focused elsewhere. Whatever was wrong with Mako's head felt familiar, like she'd encountered it before. It took her a moment to recall where.

_Energy!_ The thought zinged through her mind, and when she realized what it meant she felt like curling into a ball and sobbing. Something had blocked Mako's chi, messed with his energy in a way she'd never seen before. He must have been in agony, she realized. She sucked in a deep breath; there was still a chance she could fix this.

"Stop," she said loudly enough to shock the two boys trying to get her attention. They took a step back, and Korra glanced over her shoulder to see that Bolin's lips were pressed into a thin worried line. They held each other's gaze silently for a moment. "You can't heal him?" Bolin asked at last.

Korra felt a tear roll down her cheek and her throat became thick. In Bolin's face she saw a glimmer of the little boy who had grown up depending on his big brother to keep him safe, and immediately she felt a wave of self-loathing wash over her as she realized she was the one who had put that in jeopardy. "I think I can," she said at last, willing herself to believe the statement's truth. "I'm going to have to energy bend. So, just be quiet for a second, okay?" She looked from Bolin to Kaz, as each boy nodded in turn. "Okay," they agreed.

Korra closed her eyes, found her center and tried to reach the avatar spirit. It was difficult, but at last she managed to block everything out and focus on her goal. When she felt herself connect, the world taking on an icy white tinge, she leaned forward and pressed three fingers to each side of Mako's head, focusing on the energy within him. She'd been right, there was a block. As gently as she could she thought about healing the obstruction, and slowly, she felt it chip away. When the last piece of the block fell she leaned backwards with a gasp. The blue light faded from her eyes, and a wave of dizziness rushed over her. When her vision cleared, she stared down into the most beautiful pair of eyes she had ever seen. Golden orbs captured hers, and she collapsed forward onto Mako's chest, knotting her fingers in his shirt and sobbing tears of relief.

Mako sat up, pulling Korra tightly against his chest and cradling her head as she cried. "You're freezing," he muttered, running his hands up and down her arms in an attempt to work some heat back into her body. Bolin and Kaz stepped forward and helped them up. Korra pulled away quickly, rubbing her eyes and attempting to control the hiccupping sobs that threatened to escape. Mako kept her hand firmly entwined in his own as Bolin pulled him into a bone crushing embrace. "Love you, Big Bro," he said gruffly. "Love you too, Little Bro," Mako said back. "Thank you, for coming after us." Bolin merely nodded and hugged his brother again fiercely. Kaz reached out and shook Mako's hand as Mako nodded respectfully. "You too, he said. "Thank you. I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't found me and Korra." As he said Korra's name Mako turned back to look at her. He pulled her closer and looked her over from top to bottom. "You're okay?" He asked seriously. Korra let out a strangled sounding laugh. "Are_ you?" _She asked, tears threatening to spill over again. "I am now," he said. "And I don't think you're okay." He ran a finger over her blue lips and crushed her trembling form against his own.

"We need to get back." He said to Kaz and Bolin over her shoulder. The two boys nodded and they began to load back up onto Naga. Someone procured an overly large tunic that Mako draped over Korra. Bolin took the reigns as the rest of them piled onto the Polar Bear Dog's saddle. Korra sat between the protective grasp of Mako's arms, her back pressed against his chest. Mako watched Korra with concern as she continued to shiver against him. She looked so utterly worn and fragile. Her skin was decorated in cuts, bruises, scrapes, and burns. Mako ran his hands over her in calming, rhythmic circles. As his thumb brushed across her face, he noticed one of her cheeks was red and slightly swollen across the bone. He leaned to the side slightly, gently turning her head so that he could see it better. He clenched his jaw. "Korra, did someone hit you?" He asked quietly, barely concealed anger in his voice. She turned quickly back towards the front, feeling Kaz stiffen in front of her in response to the tension. "I'm f-fine," she said, thinking it might have been more convincing if her teeth had stopped chattering and she'd been able to say the words without stuttering. Mako exhaled heavily, trying to regain control of his temper. It was irrational, he knew, to be so upset about this one thing. Korra had doubtlessly been hurt in a hundred ways in the past 24 hours. Still, knowing that she'd been slapped triggered an unexpected rage. _Nobody_ should be allowed to hit Korra, he thought. He felt disgusted with himself, that he had let that happen, that he hadn't been there for her when she needed him. Korra felt Mako's body and the air around them heat up several degrees in response to his anger. She snuggled more firmly against his chest. "That feels, n-nice," she said. Mako sighed and tightened his grip on Korra. Her eyelids had begun to droop and her head rested against his shoulder. He wondered how long it had been since she'd slept. He at least had been able to rest when Kaz gave him those herbs to knock him out.

The trip back to Toph's Bunker was unusually silent. Korra's soft slow breathing calmed Mako, and with the beautiful girl safe, if not totally unscathed, in his arms, he allowed his mind to wander over the implications of their expedition. Kaz and Bolin knew the seriousness of what lay before them as well, but for the moment, all three young men were content to sit in silence, none of them willing to broach the subjects that needed to be discussed. Yes, Mako thought, just for an hour, let's simply be happy that we're all safe. And so he turned his thoughts away from the worries that lay ahead and buried his face against Korra's neck. They could talk everything over once they made it home…

**Thank you for reading and please REVIEW. It takes like two seconds and it totally makes my day. :)**


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13: Buried Plans

_I and this mystery here we stand.—W.W._

At some point during the trip back to Toph's Bunker Mako drifted to sleep. He awoke to the last fulminating rays of the evening sun and the soft whine of Naga, standing at the bunker entryway. Kaz was already on the ground, moving towards the door with Bolin in pursuit. Mako peered down at the sleeping girl on his shoulder. The overly large tunic she was using as a blanket had been tucked up to her chin, and her eyes and forehead were scrunched with worry, as if the dream she was having might not have been pleasant. Mako tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and shook her gently.

"Korra. Korra wake up." She groaned in response, shifting against his chest. "Korra, we're home." Slowly she sat up, rubbing sleep from her eyes and stretching uncomfortably, testing her sore muscles. She'd definitely felt better.

"Hey," she mumbled. "Hey back," he said. Extricating herself from Mako's arms, she carefully slid to the ground, landing with a thump. She cringed and stifled a yelp. Reality drifted toward her like a weight upon her chest. It was crushing. She avoided Mako's eyes as he hit the ground beside her, instead moving over to hug Naga's head. "You did so good, girl." The Polarbear dog whined happily, wagging her tail.

"Hey Korra, want to give us a hand?" Bolin called. Kaz and Bolin stood in front of the large earthen door that had been made to blend in with the rock surrounding it. This was the main entrance to the bunker, and required a minimum of three earthbenders to open. It had been designed in the same style as many of the fire nation doors, requiring special bending moves and multiple people to be unlocked. "Sure," she jogged over to them, eager to get farther away from Mako. She took her place beside the three boys and bent a piece of the design on the door to line up with Bolin's. The square of earth slid sideways with a shudder, enveloping them in a cloud of dust. Korra was about to head in when she felt a tug on her wrist. She turned. "Korra, can we talk?" Mako asked. She sighed, shaking her arm free of his grasp and carefully examining a hole in her shirt. "Later, okay? Right now we need to go see Tenzin." Bolin chimed in beside them. "Honestly, I think that's a good idea. We tried to cover for your two, but when you didn't come back…I'm pretty sure he knows something is up."

"Yea," Korra said dully. "He's going to be furious." She looked Mako in the eye for the first time since waking up. His forehead was lined with worry and maybe even a little frustration. Guilt swirled in her stomach. "Later. Alright?" Mako merely nodded. Korra sighed again, stepping around him to grab Naga's reigns. She led her pet into the bunker, all the while chanting in her head, _don't look back. Don't look back._ It didn't matter. She could still feel his eyes on her.

Korra led Naga down a hall to the right, towards the cavern that had become an impromptu stable. The three boys followed after her. She could hear them conversing in low tones, too far away to make out what they were saying. If she was honest, she wasn't sure she wanted to know. She'd screwed up, royally. And she knew what she needed to do if she had any hope of fulfilling her destiny as the Avatar and protecting the people she loved. She stopped thinking about that though. It made her throat constrict, and she was already having trouble breathing. She spent a few minutes petting Naga before finding her food and water. When she left, the exhausted animal was asleep on a pile of hay.

The boys were leaning against the wall outside the cavern when she emerged. "Ready?" Kaz asked, the first to break the silence. "Yep," Korra said, working to keep her voice even. Mako and Bolin led the way as Kaz fell into step beside her. "You're okay, Avatar." He said, reaching over to squeeze her shoulder. It was a statement, and not the question she had been asked a thousand times. He caught her eye and gave her a warm, understanding smile. Korra watched him sadly and nodded back. "He'll understand." Kaz whispered. Mako glanced over his shoulder at them, that same worry line permanently drawn on his forehead. Kaz stepped away. _No, he won't_, she thought as she stared at Mako's back. She wasn't sure how much Kaz knew, certainly not everything, but enough, she supposed.

* * *

Korra sank down on her bed, exhausted. It had taken a half hour and some help from Pema to calm Tenzin down enough to have a rational conversation, and even then he disagreed with everything she said. She'd outlined their excursion briefly, glossing over the more worrisome events of her kidnapping. Saying everything out loud had cemented several things she had been thinking, but never really had time to conclude with any finality. The Equalists were not behind the recent attacks. Tenzin had practically turned purple when she insisted upon this fact. To her surprise, Mako supported her. She hadn't known he'd been thinking the same thing. When they relayed the news that benders of the city were being kidnapped by the same people who had taken Korra, there was general confusion. In the end Tenzin had sent her off to the medical wing to be patched up while he spoke to the others. "It doesn't make sense," he told her several times. He said this slowly, in a tone that might have been used to placate a small child. It was beyond irritating, but she couldn't refute him. Korra herself hadn't been able to come up with a reason someone would want to take a bunch of benders hostage.

"Stupid Tenzin," she muttered sinking lower on her bed. For the son of the previous Avatar, he certainly didn't have a lot of faith in her judgment. She had just closed her eyes, relishing the feeling of being clean and healed, when she heard a soft knock on the door.

"Korra?" a low voice called. Her eyes flew open and she sat up.

"Come in," she said. Mako strode through the doorway. He was shirtless, which displayed both his perfect chest and the many bruises and cuts he'd gotten in yesterday's fight. Korra winced. "Hi," she said tentatively. It was like they were back to square one in their relationship, both unsure of the other's feelings. Mako avoided her eyes. "I know you're probably tired. If you're too tired I can just go to the healer's wing and—" "No!" Korra cried, cringing at the loudness of her own voice. "No," she said more quietly. "I can do it." Mako nodded, still studying the floor, but he came over and sat down on her bed. Korra pulled water from a pail in the corner. "Do you want to, um, heat it up before…" she held the water in front of him, watching carefully for his reaction. Silently he raised his hands and, placing them along the edge of the water, used firebending to warm the liquid. His golden eyes finally caught hers. Her breath hitched in her throat. There was a question in his gaze, and more, there was hurt. She closed her eyes and forced herself to exhale slowly. When she opened her eyes again he was looking away. She ran the water over his body, pausing at every bruise, lingering on each cut. Mentally she cataloged them. _Your fault_, her conscience chanted. When she finished she let the water flow back into the bucket. Mako made no move, so she sank down on the bed beside him and studied his profile. The rift between them was almost tangible, and Korra felt the sudden need to cross it. Without thinking she reached out and touched his face, lightly running her fingers over the lines of his forehead, across his brow bone, all the way down to the sharp line of his jaw. Mako closed his eyes, and just as she was about to pull her hand back, he reached up and caught her fingers, holding them there against his cheek.

"You can't keep doing this," he said quietly. Slowly, he turned to face her, keeping hold of her hand, but pulling it down so that their linked fingers rested between them. "You can't just push me away every time something goes wrong." Korra bowed her head. "Can't you see that this is killing me too?" His words were strained and barely audible. "I'm sorry," she whispered. Mako reached out and caught her chin, lifting her face to meet his own. "I want to help you, but you won't let me. Promise me you'll stop. Promise me you'll let me help."

She bit her lip until she tasted blood. Everything in her screamed to agree, to promise to let him help her, to wipe away the pain so clearly written on her features. She could feel her heart ripping in two. It was like swallowing shards of glass, but she made herself speak. Her voice shook and came out in a tiny whisper. "I'm sorry," she said again. Mako dropped his hand, looking as if she had slapped him. She kept her gaze trained on the floor, and when she heard the door slam behind him she finally let the tears fall. Agni, it felt like they might never stop.

It took most of the night to cry herself out. She didn't go to dinner. Instead she sat curled up in the blankets of her bed, hating herself, hating fate, and hating what she was planning to do even more. She was singlehandedly driving away the man she loved, and it was excruciating. She didn't know how late it was when she forced herself to sit up and walk to the bathroom to splash some water on her face. She didn't think she would have been able to sleep anyway, so it didn't matter. She glanced in the mirror and groaned. Her eyes were red and puffy, her lower lip was swollen where she had bitten it, and her eyes were rimmed by dark circles. She slipped back into her room to change. She could hear people beginning to move about, and she knew she wouldn't be allowed to skip another meal. Honestly, she couldn't remember the last time she'd eaten. She thought back, that mango she'd had at the market with Mako, maybe. She slid on clean pants and a blue long sleeved top someone had brought her. All the rock of the bunker kept it quite cool in the rooms.

She felt the sudden urge to get out of her tiny space. She needed to move. Figuring it would be an hour or so before anyone expected her to show up for breakfast, she moved quietly into the hall. She didn't realize where she was headed until her feet came to a stop before the rushing water of the underground river. She leaned against the railing and watched the water crash against the rocks. It was loud, just loud enough to drown out the swirling voices of her head, and for the first time since Mako left her room, she could think. She thought of what she hadn't told Tenzin yesterday, what she hadn't told anyone. She replayed the voices of the guards she overheard while she was being held. The kidnapped benders were going to be moved out of Republic City in three days. The face of the little street kid, Skootchy, flashed in her mind. He was just one person. There were countless others; people with families, friends, jobs, people who loved and were loved. She couldn't give up on them. She was their Avatar. She knew what she had to do.

After some amount of time a guard came and found her, stating that breakfast was being served in the dining hall. She followed the guard silently, attempting to steel herself for what lay ahead. It was a futile effort.

* * *

He looked up when Korra walked into the dining hall. She'd let her hair fall forward to hide her face, but her red eyes and the dark circles beneath them were still clearly visible. He wondered if she'd slept at all. His chest hurt. He was so mad at her, so desperate to find a way to get her to let him in. When he looked at her he felt like he was 8 years old again, watching his parents die in the street. He was powerless. She paused, looking for a place to sit. Mako had intentionally chosen a seat between Bolin and Chief Bei Fong. Korra looked around sadly. The dining room was packed with United Forces soldiers. Kaz finally her noticed and offered her a seat between him and the kids. She took it gratefully. Mako tried to ignore her during the breakfast, but it was impossible. He needn't have worried about catching her eye though, she spent the entire meal staring down and pushing food around her plate. _Spirits_, wasn't she hungry? She wasn't loud and she wasn't happy. She pretty much ignored everyone who tried to make conversation with her, even when Ikki and Kaz tried to draw her into a discussion. She left the dining room as quickly as she had come and she did not look back.

* * *

Korra spent the morning training. She practiced all four elements, pushing herself relentlessly as she battled an imaginary opponent. When she was drenched in sweat and too tired to stand up straight, she stopped. She felt better, stronger, like maybe she could do what she needed to do. She made herself jog the way back to her room, and when she pushed open the door, she was surprised to find that it was not empty. Asami, Kaz, and Bolin were sitting on her bed. Their conversation stopped when she walked into the room. Korra regarded them silently for a moment. "Hey," Asami ventured. She didn't respond, instead walking over to grab a towel and wipe her face.

"Korra, can we talk to you for a second?" Bolin finally asked, exasperated. Unable to think of a way to get rid of them that did not involve a physical altercation, Korra sighed and nodded. She sank down against the wall. Her three friends slid off the bed to sit in a semi-circle in front of her. It was almost funny. This looked exactly like the interventions they sometimes had for men who'd become too attached to Cactus Juice back in the South Pole.

Asami was the first to speak again. "Look, we know you've been going through a lot," she said softly. "We just wanted you to know you could talk to us."

Korra swallowed the lump in her throat. She wanted to ask where Mako was, but she supposed she already knew. After his cold treatment at breakfast, it was obvious he wasn't going to speak to her. _It's for the best_, she tried to tell herself. _It will be easier this way._

"I'm just tired," she said thickly. It was true, too. "But you're right; it would be nice to talk. So what have you guys been up to?" She hoped her subject change wasn't too obvious. Bolin, ever enthusiastic, quickly launched into a story about his metalbending training with Bei Fong. Apparently Kaz had been helping too. Asami relayed her time with General Iroh, and how well their efforts on the war planes were going. Korra smiled and nodded through the whole thing, carefully redirecting questions about what she'd been up to, or how she was doing. When they left an hour later, satisfied that she was doing better, Korra let herself feel the slightest bit of sadness. She really hadn't been keeping up with her friends lately. She mentally added that to the list of things she felt guilty about. She had just dragged herself up from the floor when Bolin poked his head back in the door. "Korra," he entreated, "about you and Mako…" Korra's mouth popped open in horror. Bolin noticed her expression and quickly back tracked. "It's just, he's been talking to me and—"

"Bolin," she cut in firmly. "I can't change anything."

"But," he began. She spoke over him again. "We can't have this conversation," she said quietly, trying not to gasp at the dry ache in her throat. Something about her expression convinced him. "Okay," he said sadly, turning to leave. He paused and looked back at her. "You know how much he loves you, right?" he asked. It was all she could do to nod. When he shut the door gently behind him she whispered, "I'm so sorry." That seemed to be her line lately.

* * *

She spent the rest of the afternoon in a strategy meeting with the informal council, which included herself, Tenzin, Chief Bei Fong, and General Iroh and Commander Bumi from the United Forces. Bei Fong had just gotten back from the city where she was still commanding the police force. Korra asked hopefully if her squad had any leads on the location of the missing benders and tried to stifle the disappointment she felt when Bei Fong admitted they'd found nothing. The warehouse she'd been held in when she was kidnapped had been investigated. It stood completely empty, with no scrap of evidence left behind. She found out from general Iroh that several platoons of the United Forces soldiers had also gone missing. With Bei Fong's support, they came to the conclusion that the people they were dealing with were not the Equalists. There were several moments when Korra almost revealed the details she'd left out the day before, but she contained herself. They would find out eventually, but not until she was ready. They spent the rest of the meeting discussing who the kidnappers could possibly be. Korra recounted her entire experience for the second time. The more she thought about it, the more the details of her attacker's identities seemed off. There was something not quite human about them. She wanted to think about it more, but it was all she could do to keep up with the pace of the discussion. The meeting seemed to stretch on forever, its dullness broken only by the humorous and often bafflingly wise interjections of Bumi. When the council finally finished Bumi walked over to Korra and patted her heartily on the back. "You have a safe trip now," he said jovially. Korra stiffened. She stared at the old commander, eyes wide. He smiled at her and walked away casually. She watched him leave, utterly confused. She couldn't make out if he knew what she was up to or was just a little crazy. She hoped it was the latter as she hurried out of the meeting room before anyone else could question her reaction. As a whole the discussion had been so frustrating that she felt the need to blow off a little more steam. Dinner was over, so she went to the kitchen to grab some food. She found a fruit bowl and dug out a Mango. She munched on it as she walked to the practice courtyard. The hour was late enough that the hallways were mostly emptied, and though she passed a few soldiers loitering outside their rooms, she didn't encounter anyone she knew.

She decided to practice her airbending, which she still had yet to master. Honestly, she was surprised Tenzin hadn't been bothering her more about training. Perhaps he had decided to take it easy on her after the bombing and then the kidnapping. Irrationally this annoyed her. It was like he thought she was weak. Stress and frustration fueled her workout, and it was not until several hours had passed that she slumped against the wall, breathing hard. The lack of sleep and the double training session left her drained. Almost numb, she thought. Which was good; she wanted to be numb. _I'll just rest here for a minute_. She sank to the ground and let her eyes slide closed. She was asleep within seconds.

* * *

Mako wasn't sure how long he stood silently watching Korra from the entrance of the courtyard. When he stood to the side and observed her graceful movements, he could almost pretend that nothing was wrong between them. She really had come a long way in airbending he mused. He almost left when she finished training and sat down, but instinct kept him lingering in the doorway. She slipped into sleep so quickly, he almost missed it. He waited to see if she would wake up, and when she didn't he walked a little closer. She looked tired and small, utterly vulnerable. Without thinking he stepped forward and lifted her from the ground, cradling her head against his chest. She mumbled something unintelligible, but didn't wake. He sighed. He moved slowly through the hallways, careful not to jostle the sleeping girl. When he reached her room he entered and lowered her onto the bed. She murmured again, rolling over to lie on her stomach. "Mako?" she breathed. He froze for a moment. "Yea, Korra. I'm here," he whispered. When she remained silent he bent down to check if she had fallen back asleep. He felt her warm breath against his face, and it was only because he was so close that he was able to catch the next words she said. When he woke in his own bed the next morning, he wondered if he might simply have imagined them. But there in the darkness Korra murmured her goodnight. "I love you," she whispered. "And I'm sorry," she said, in a voice so small and sad that his throat grew thick. "Me too, Korra. Me too." He pressed his lips to her forehead and she smiled faintly. It was the ghost of that smile in his dreams that convinced him he hadn't imagined her words after all.

**Woohoo! Another chapter complete. I hope you all enjoyed this. I made it extra long so that we could get some plot build. Again, I would like to thank all of the wonderful readers who keep me inspired and writing. Your feedback really is motivating! In that same vein, I was thinking we might do a prize for when we reach 100 reviews (I think we will sometime soon). So how about this: When we reach 100 reviews, you guys get a previously unseen fluffy Makorra scene. Sound good? If as many people who follow this story commented, we would be there before the next chapter. Stay wonderful!**

**-Mgirl **


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